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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24062323">The Night of One Hundred Demons</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheEigthPillarGeneral/pseuds/TheEigthPillarGeneral'>TheEigthPillarGeneral</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Bleach</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Boys In Love, Class Differences, Conflict, Eventual Happy Ending, Feels, Japanese Mythology &amp; Folklore, M/M, Magic, Romance, Sad and Beautiful, Sexual Content, Youkai</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 18:53:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>72,024</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24062323</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheEigthPillarGeneral/pseuds/TheEigthPillarGeneral</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>As the youngest clan leader in all of Spirit Society, okami Abarai Renji only cares about his tribe's well-being in their home in the forest. He has no interest in getting involved in the politics of the other youkai. Not after the horrific massacre of his tribe that took place one hundred years ago. But when he gets involved in a skirmish against the mountain oni and saves Kuchiki Rukia, a tengu and the younger sister of the leader of the Tengu Clan, Renji finds himself persuaded to assist the other youkai clans to fight against the mountain oni on Hyakki Yagyo to stop them from destroying all of Spirit Society.</p><p>Before he can ally himself with them, however, the youkai must work to fully regain his trust. But even he doesn't expect Kuchiki Byakuya, the aloof leader of the Tengu Clan, to be the one putting in the most effort. And neither do both of them expect to become so drawn to each other.</p><p>But will Renji allow himself to let Byakuya in despite the ghosts of the past? And can he overcome those ghosts in time to help save Spirit Society from the oni?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Abarai Renji &amp; Kuchiki Rukia, Abarai Renji/Kuchiki Byakuya, Kuchiki Byakuya &amp; Kuchiki Rukia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>80</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>50</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Forest of Wolves</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In the midst of growing concerns about a potential shortage of prey, Renji finds himself saving a tengu girl in spite of his grudge against Ashihara and the Ruling Council for events of one hundred years ago.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Yet again, this story is based on another story arc from Bleach Brave Souls, and this time, it's that of the Spirit Society storyline. Here, a select few characters were given versions in which they were creatures from Japanese mythology. These characters are Gin (kitsune), Rukia (tengu), Grimmjow (oni), Byakuya (tengu), Rangiku (hone-onna), and Kaien (raiju). I recommend you look them up on Google or YouTube so you can get an idea as to what they look like.</p><p>Again, Renji did not receive any special version, so I decided to create my own storyline and expand on this unique universe while giving him his own youkai version. I'm really excited to write about it, especially since it'll have a lot to do with Japanese mythology and folklore! And like "La Fête d'Amour", other Bleach characters will be showing up as well.</p><p>I hope you all enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Spirit Society. Home to thousands of spirits, youkai, and many other creatures, the land is as vibrant, as beautiful, and as mysterious as all the various creatures that reside there. With a rich and prosperous history dating all the way back to thousands of years ago, Spirit Society itself is ruled by five ruling youkai clans, who have governed the land since ancient times from Ashihara, the capital city.</p><p>That is, up until one hundred years ago. Now, Spirit Society is governed by four of those ancient youkai clans: the Tengu, the Raiju, the Kitsune, and the Bakeneko Clans. All four of these clans continue to live in Ashihara.</p><p>As for the fifth clan, the Okami Tribe… their fall from power is a dark mark on the history of Spirit Society, and a truly tragic event that has shaped the course of history since its occurrence one hundred years ago. And while all the inhabitants of Ashihara were able to move on from the dark events of one hundred years ago, the Okami still suffer from the damage inflicted upon them, sorely affecting their relations with other youkai of Ashihara to this day.</p><p>Momiji no Mori, the maple forest of Spirit Society, is as tranquil and calm as always. Resting on the base of the mountain valley, the forest is home to many red, orange, and gold maple trees that shimmer during sunny days. But with the near-permanent fog that conceals the rough terrain of the paths, traversing the forest is a nightmare for unprepared travellers.</p><p>Which is why it’s also the perfect home for the Okami Tribe, the wolf youkai that have been inhabiting this forest for the past one hundred years. Hidden within the depths of the forest is the village of the okami, kept concealed by barriers only they themselves can cross.</p><p>Today, the fog seems much thicker than normal as it rolls through the village.</p><p>That’s the first thing that Abarai Renji notices as he steps out of his small pit house.</p><p>Dressed in his usual black and red karusan-bakama, his tattooed arms and upper torso bare except for the brown fur stole draped over his shoulders and the bronze-coloured beaded necklace around his neck, and with his long crimson hair tied up in a high ponytail, Renji carries himself with all the authority of a tribe leader. His wolf ears twitch slightly as he takes in the activity in the village, heading to the edge of the barrier to meet with the hunters.</p><p>At only two-hundred years of age, Renji is perhaps the youngest tribe leader in the history of Spirit Society. He hadn’t been born into any prominent family for him to assume leadership; rather, it had been bestowed upon him from childhood due to his selection of artifacts, which happened to belong to the previous leader.</p><p>As he walks through the village, several of the youkai bow and greet him with smiles, to which he responds with a smile and a slight nod.</p><p>When he reaches the edge of the barrier, he finds Komamura Sajin, his older second-in-command, waiting with a group of hunters, all of whom bow respectfully upon seeing their leader.</p><p>Komamura nods in greeting. “You received the message, Abarai?” he asks.</p><p>Renji nods. “I have,” he says.</p><p>He glances over at the hunters only to see that they’re still bowing. Something about this flusters him, and he just clears his throat.</p><p>“You don’t need to bow for me, you know?” Renji reminds them, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. “I may be your leader, but I’m still one of you guys. So there’s no need for formalities. Anyways, what’s the emergency?”</p><p>As the hunters stand up, the lead hunter Iba Tetsuzaemon steps forward.</p><p>“There’s a shortage in deer,” he says gravely. “We’ve been going to all the usual haunts, but their presence has been scarce. We could hardly find a single deer or doe.”</p><p>Renji frowns, folding his arms across his chest. “Did you check any other areas?” he asks.</p><p>“We managed to find some prey in other parts of the forest,” Iba continues, gesturing to the hunters that hold animal carcasses. “But even then, it doesn’t seem like it’ll be enough.”</p><p>Frowning, Renji takes a look at the prey that’s been hunted.</p><p>While they’ve managed to bring back one deer carcass, the rest of them are dead rabbits, snakes, and rodents.</p><p>It’s definitely not enough to feed the whole village for the coming months.</p><p>
  <em> What the hell is this? </em>
</p><p>“No one else should be hunting here,” Renji says sharply. “This part of the forest is Okami territory.”</p><p>“You think it could be someone from Ashihara?” one of the hunters wonders.</p><p>“I wouldn’t put it past those sons of bitches…” another one mutters. “Most likely a kitsune.”</p><p>“Those fucking bastards… they weren’t satisfied with slaughtering us, now they gotta try and starve us to death?!”</p><p>“Enough,” Renji says firmly, silencing all whispers. “We can’t just make assumptions like that. I’ll be looking into this. In the meantime, we’ll have to preserve our food as much as we can and distribute carefully.”</p><p>“Yes, sir!” the hunters say in unison.</p><p>“Good. You’re all dismissed now,” Renji tells them.</p><p>All the hunters head into the village, but Komamura stays behind, his golden wolf eyes almost glowering.</p><p>Renji regards Komamura with concern.</p><p>“What’s the matter?” he asks.</p><p>Komamura growls low in his throat.</p><p>“If our prey is in short supply because of those kitsune…” he snarls.</p><p>“I don’t think it’s anyone from Ashihara,” Renji says. “None of them should be able to get past our barriers, right? We’ve even put barriers up at the usual haunts.”</p><p>“But you know what the kitsune are like,” Komamura reminds him tersely. “We all do. And we’ve all been living with it for a hundred years.”</p><p>Renji tenses up, his breath hitching slightly.</p><p>Of course he knows what the kitsune are like. He’d witnessed the carnage one hundred years ago, he’d watched his mother get cut down right in front of him, felt the blood splattering on him as she’d died!</p><p>Hell, he still has nightmares about it to this day!</p><p>“I know very well that we’ve all been suffering, Komamura,” Renji tells him softly. “No one can forget what happened that night. But even so, we can’t just jump to conclusions. We need to go through this carefully. So please, don’t bring up anything about the Kitsune or Ashihara to the rest of the tribe.”</p><p>Komamura still looks tense, but he nods.</p><p>“Alright,” he says.</p><p>“Thank you,” Renji says. “Now then, I’m going to meditate for a little bit. I should be back soon.”</p><p>“Very well,” Komamura says. “I’ll send you a Jigokucho if anything comes up.”</p><p>With that, he heads back into the village.</p><p>Renji makes his way into the forest, going to his usual meditation spot: a cliff that resides past the barrier. For him, meditation is something that’s become necessary ever since he’d become the leader of the Okami.</p><p>He’s only three months into his tenure, and it still feels a little strange to be treated with so much respect and adoration by the other Okami. Renji has made sure that everyone treats him as they would one of their own, but even then, the pressures of being a leader sometimes become too much for him.</p><p>At least with meditation, he can remove himself from those duties, even if it’s temporary.</p><p>A sense of calm washes over Renji as he arrives at the cliff that overlooks the walled city of Ashihara. Sitting down on the rock and folding his legs into a cross-legged position, he just looks down at the city again before closing his eyes to meditate.</p><p>It’s an unusually interesting view, to be honest. It’s almost hard to believe how huge Ashihara is, but this view gives a pretty good idea as to how big it really is.</p><p><em> Too bad it’s filled with useless clan leaders that do nothing to stop a massacre… </em>Renji thinks darkly.</p><p>At that thought, Renji feels his hands curling into fists, his claws digging into his skin as he remembers the horrific massacre of the Okami by the Kitsune Clan one hundred years ago, all because of some territorial conflict.</p><p>And how had the other clans responded? Definitely not in aid of them. In fact, they’d prioritized appeasing the Kitsune Clan instead of standing up for the Okami Tribe’s land rights.</p><p>Renji can still hear the screams of his fellow okami as the Kitsune had sieged their land; he can still see the huts on fire, his friends getting mercilessly cut down… his own mother trying to defend him, only to be brutally killed by a kitsune’s magic.</p><p>And no one had even tried to help them.</p><p>In the end, all the survivors had to flee into Momiji no Mori, where they have been living since then. And with their flight from Ashihara, they’d also taken their unique and vibrant culture with them. </p><p>For one hundred years since the massacre, the okami have harboured a strong hatred for the Kitsune Clan, and for Ashihara in general. The trauma from the massacre has been passed down from generations, and all the children who had witnessed the massacre have grown up with the emotional damage, Renji included.</p><p>Some of the okami, like Komamura, absolutely despise anything to do with Ashihara, and have advised younger okami to stay away from the city. They’ve told all the horror stories about the Kitsune Clan, about the Ruling Council’s failure to protect the tribe, and any ideas of trying to mend fences with the other clans are met with scorn and derision.</p><p>Renji, however, can’t help but cautiously wonder if it’s possible to mend fences with the Ruling Council of Ashihara one day. It’s not like he doesn’t hate them for what happened one hundred years ago; on the contrary, he harbours quite a bit of anger towards Ashihara.</p><p>But that had been an older generation. Surely the newer generation of each clan is different, that those leaders do not condone the horrific inaction of their elders.</p><p>But while Renji might be a bit more open to accepting the newer generation, he’s not too sure about the rest of the tribe. Besides, one hundred years seems a bit too soon to be trying to make any peace offerings like that.</p><p>At some point into his meditation, Renji opens his eyes and looks around the forest.</p><p>The fog seems to have grown even thicker than usual, and while it’s normally never bothered him, there’s something very unusual about how thick it is today.</p><p>And something about that has his senses on high alert.</p><p>Renji’s ears twitch as he tries to pick up on any foreign sounds.</p><p>
  <em> Could someone be passing through? </em>
</p><p>Suddenly, a loud scream rings out from within the forest.</p><p>Immediately, Renji gets up and rushes in the direction of the scream, not caring as to whether or not it’s an intruder. As he runs, he uncurls his fists and summons several tendrils of shadows as a snarl rumbles low in his throat.</p><p>There’s another scream, and it sounds much louder as Renji draws closer to the source in a clearing.</p><p>However, he’s unprepared for the sight in the clearing itself, and he stops in shock.</p><p>Amid the fog that rolls through the clearing, there’s a mob of mountain oni surrounding a young woman.</p><p>Renji hides behind the shrubs to get a closer look at the woman, and his heart skips a beat as his eyes widen in shock.</p><p>The woman wears a long, elaborate white, red-lined furisode kimono with black patterns on the sleeves and a black and red obi, and her black hair is tied up in a bun. But that’s not it. What catches Renji’s eyes are her black iridescent feathered wings, her feathered hair decorations, the feather fan, and the red horn upon her forehead.</p><p>
  <em> No way… a tengu?! </em>
</p><p>But what is a tengu doing all the way out here, and such a high-ranking tengu, at that? Even more… just what the hell are the oni doing here? Don’t they know that they’re in okami territory, and that it’s highly frowned upon?</p><p>No, that doesn’t matter right now. From the looks of it, the tengu is struggling to fight off the oni, no matter how many fire spells she casts with her fan.</p><p>“Get away from me!” the tengu shouts, shooting a burst of fire at a sneering oni. “Don’t you dare touch me!”</p><p>Despite his own anger towards the Tengu Clan, Renji can’t just leave her to struggle like this. He has to help out. His own honour demands it, or how else can he call himself a man?</p><p>With that, Renji snarls lowly as he surrounds his hands with shadows, and then charges right out of the shrubs towards the oni, letting out a fierce growl.</p><p>Instantly, the oni freeze in place, and so does the tengu, and they all turn to look at Renji in shock.</p><p>Renji glares at the oni. “What the hell is this?” he demands, his voice snarling. “You’re all on okami territory right now, and we don’t take kindly to trespassers like you.”</p><p>Swiftly, he charges at one of the oni and brings down his hand, clawing him across the face.</p><p>The oni lets out an ugly screech of pain as blood spills from the scratch, and the rest of the oni charge at Renji, all of them baring their fangs and growling in the hopes of intimidating him.</p><p>However, Renji remains unfazed.</p><p>“Is that supposed to scare me?” he asks.</p><p>With that, he charges at them.</p><p>The fight turns out to be disappointingly short. These oni are clearly low-ranking and less powerful than the usual mountain oni, and Renji is able to make quick work of them. However, he’s also careful to avoid killing them; he simply injures and incapacitates them in the fight.</p><p>After all, it would do them no good to incur the wrath of the Oni Tribe leader. But perhaps if he sends them back with some injuries, he’ll understand what happened.</p><p>When Renji finishes up with the last oni, he simply shoves him down to the ground while glaring at him.</p><p>“Get the hell outta here,” he orders. “And tell your leader that the next time this happens, I won’t hesitate to kill you all.”</p><p>He lets his reiatsu flare a little as he snarls threateningly, scaring the oni as they scramble out of the clearing.</p><p>Renji just watches them flee back to the mountains, still a little disbelieving.</p><p>What the hell had the oni been doing on okami territory? Could they be the ones hunting down all the deer in Momiji no Mori?</p><p>No, it’s not good to assume things. But even so, something about this doesn’t sit right with Renji at all.</p><p><em> I’ll definitely have to bring this up at the next village meeting… </em>he thinks to himself, looking down at the injuries on his body.</p><p>A gasp interrupts Renji’s thoughts, and he turns to see the tengu woman staring at him in shock.</p><p>Renji just raises an eyebrow. “And that’s the thanks I get for saving your life?” he asks dryly.</p><p>“You’re bleeding!” the tengu cries out, pointing at his head.</p><p><em> Wait… what? </em> Renji presses his fingers to his temple only to feel warm blood spilling from a wound there.</p><p>“Oh, shit…” he curses.</p><p>Before he realizes, he collapses to the ground as his vision blurs.</p><p>
  <em> How the hell did I not notice that? Dammit, looks like those bastards got me pretty good…  </em>
</p><p>“Hold on, okami-san!” A pair of delicate arms covered by silk sleeves hold onto him, and he feels something pressing against his head. “We have to get you out of here!”</p><p>Renji just murmurs something incomprehensible before closing his eyes. </p><p>The last thing he registers is the slight tickle of feathers against his face. And then, his vision blacks out.</p><hr/><p>Kuchiki Rukia stares down in shock at the unconscious man in her arms, her heart racing against her chest as she takes in his physical features.</p><p>The fur stole over his shoulders, his claws, those black tattoos that decorate his body and face… there’s no mistaking it. This youkai man… he’s an okami.</p><p>Even more, this isn’t just any ordinary okami. This is the leader of the Okami Tribe.</p><p>What are the chances of actually encountering the okami leader himself? In fact, just how lucky had she been that the okami leader hadn’t killed her for entering his territory?</p><p>Pretty damn lucky, Rukia supposes.</p><p>But now she has to save him immediately.</p><p>Carefully, she lifts him into her arms before letting her wings carry her back to the manor in Ashihara, all while going as fast as she can.</p><p>Having gone into Momiji no Mori through a private path, Rukia is fortunate enough not to be noticed as she nears the gates of Ashihara. Once she’s in the walls of the city, she continues rushing to the manor complex, not stopping until she finally sees it nearing.</p><p>Only one-story high, the manor is made of pure cypress wood, consisting of a main building with large roofs, as well as other smaller buildings for the servants, and a gorgeous garden in the back. The complex itself is surrounded by high, white-washed walls with two-storey watchtowers at each corner, and a large, gold-gilded karamon gate with two guards keeping watch, and the crest of the Kuchiki Clan hanging above.</p><p>Rukia enters the manor through the simpler servant gates, ignoring the shocked stares she receives as she approaches the servants.</p><p>“I need you to heal this okami,” she orders, passing him to the servants. “Please, try and hurry. He needs to be healed.”</p><p>“Of course, Rukia-sama!” the servant says.</p><p>As the servants hurry the okami into the manor, Rukia just lets out a sigh as she hears their steps receding.</p><p><em> What an eventful day… </em>she thinks to herself, walking along the engawa porch until she reaches the outside of the room where she can sense the okami’s reiatsu. From within, she can hear the servants working hard on healing him.</p><p>Slowly, Rukia kneels down in perfect seiza as she stares out at the broad river that snakes through the magnificent gardens, all while going over what happened today.</p><p>Her older brother had been busy with his duties as the leader of the Tengu Clan, so Rukia had decided to take a walk in the beautiful Momiji no Mori to pass the time. And even with mounting tensions with the Oni Tribe, she definitely hadn’t expected to be ambushed by all those ugly mountain oni in the forest.</p><p>And she definitely hadn’t expected to be saved by the leader of the Okami Tribe himself. Not with the dark history between them and the Ruling Council of Ashihara.</p><p>Oh, Rukia is all too aware of the grim history of how the Okami had been chased out of Ashihara one hundred years ago, following a deceitful plot by the Kitsune in order to seize their territory. Even though the leader of the Kitsune Clan had been found to have tricked everyone, it had been much too late.</p><p>The damage had been done. And now, the Okami Tribe lives in isolation in the forest, all while harbouring intense hatred towards Ashihara. Any attempt to track them down is unsuccessful, and any Ashihara youkai that enters their territory is treated with hostility and suspicion.</p><p>But why would the Okami leader save her if he holds a grudge against Ashihara? He’d said something about how the oni had been trespassing in okami territory, yet he didn’t try to hurt her.</p><p>Rukia has to speak with him once he wakes up, that’s for sure.</p><p>With this in mind, she gets up and heads inside the manor, approaching the room just as a servant emerges from there.</p><p>“How is he?” Rukia asks him.</p><p>The servant bows to her. “His condition has stabilized,” he says. “He’ll recover very quickly, but he’ll have to rest for a little longer.”</p><p>“Thank you. May I see him?”</p><p>“Of course, Rukia-sama.”</p><p>Thanking him again, Rukia slowly opens the door and enters the room, silently approaching the futon where the okami sleeps, his chest steadily rising up and down.</p><p>She can’t help but stare in fascination.</p><p>The okami is so magnificent. That muscular body, those jagged tattoos, that long and beautiful crimson hair… Rukia has never seen anything like it. And oddly enough, the fact that his ears are those of a wolf’s and not a human’s… it’s pretty cute.</p><p><em> How could someone as majestic as you be hiding from us all this time? </em> She wonders.</p><p>Furthermore, it’s obvious how powerful he is, considering how he’d fought off the mountain oni.</p><p>Speaking of mountain oni… their leader has started threatening Ashihara. He plans to invade Ashihara on Hyakki Yagyo, the annual Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, and if he succeeds, then all of Spirit Society might just fall apart.</p><p>And this year’s Hyakki Yagyo falls on a new moon, which is when the powers of the oni are at their strongest, even more than any other youkai.</p><p>If they want to fight back against the oni, they’ll need all the help they can get, including that of the okami.</p><p>But will the okami really be willing to help the clans that betrayed them one hundred years ago?</p><p>The only way to find out is once the okami leader wakes up, it seems.</p><p>“Rukia.” A low baritone voice calling her name suddenly snaps her out of her thoughts, and she looks up in surprise to see her older brother, Lord Kuchiki Byakuya, standing in the doorway.</p><p>As always, Byakuya looks beautiful as ever. Dressed in black sashinuki hakama beneath a long and flowing gray kimono with long red sleeves, a wide red obi with a white obiage and a gold camellia-shaped obishime around his waist, a black haori with pink sakura patterns and a white yuigesa, and his long black hair flowing elegantly past his shoulders and framing his delicately beautiful face, her brother is truly a splendid man.</p><p>In his hand, he carries his shakujo staff, and on the corners of his eyes and above his eyebrows are red markings. Circling his head is a small red horned headpiece that holds a translucent veil hanging on either side of his face. His black feathered iridescent wings rest against his back and shoulders, his red eye mask rests on his front, and he regards Rukia with an impassive expression.</p><p>Quickly, Rukia bows reverently in greeting. “Nii-sama,” she greets. “Welcome home.”</p><hr/><p>Kuchiki Byakuya certainly hadn’t been expecting to feel an unfamiliar reiatsu in his manor when he’d arrived home from his meeting with Lord Shiba Kaien of the Raiju Clan. The only other reiatsu he’s recently felt in the manor that aren’t tengu, are those of Rukia’s friends Matsumoto Rangiku, Kurosaki Ichigo, and Inoue Orihime.</p><p>And he certainly hadn’t expected to see an <em> okami, </em> of all things, in his manor.</p><p>While he doesn’t show it on his face, he is definitely very surprised.</p><p>“What is happening?” Byakuya asks her, entering the room.</p><p>Rukia looks a little bit embarrassed.</p><p>“It’s… It’s a long story,” she says. “You see, I had gone out on a walk in Momiji no Mori when I had gotten ambushed by mountain oni.”</p><p>Byakuya’s eyes widen slightly. “Is that so?” he asks, his voice hushed.</p><p>If only he’d sent a servant out with Rukia… </p><p>“It is, Nii-sama,” Rukia says. “However, this okami, he intervened and fought off the oni on his own. Look at his markings, Nii-sama. He’s clearly the leader himself.”</p><p>Byakuya frowns, taking a look at the black jagged marks on the okami’s muscular body. Somehow, just looking at those tattoos on his muscular skin, as well as his long crimson hair, all of it sends a slight thrill down his spine.</p><p>“You’re right…” he murmurs. “This is the leader of the Okami Tribe himself.”</p><p>But it’s quite a surprise, considering how young the okami looks. While Byakuya himself is seen as a rather young clan leader at only two-hundred-forty years of age, this man must only be two-hundred years old.</p><p>And while he might be unconscious, Byakuya can sense how powerful the okami is. To have him on their side against the Oni Tribe… they could save Spirit Society if he fights alongside them.</p><p>“We need to assemble a meeting right away,” Byakuya says, summoning a Jigokucho. “I shall send a message to all the clan heads and we will discuss this matter immediately.”</p><p>“What do you plan to do?” Rukia asks, raising her eyebrows.</p><p>Byakuya glances at her. “We’re going to see if we can convince the leader of the Okami Tribe to help us fight the Oni Tribe on Hyakki Yagyo,” he says.</p><p>“But will it really work?” Rukia asks. “You know how much the Okami Tribe despise us all, right? Do you think he’ll really be willing to help us?”</p><p>At that, Byakuya frowns. Rukia does raise a good point, in all honesty.</p><p>Before he can answer, however, there’s a knock on the shoji door, and both Byakuya and Rukia turn to see a servant bowing in the entryway.</p><p>“What is it?” Byakuya asks.</p><p>“Kuchiki-sama, I apologize for bothering you,” the servant says, sitting up.</p><p>To Byakuya’s surprise, the servant looks rather pale.</p><p>“What happened to you?”</p><p>The servant swallows. “There’s a group of okami outside the karamon right now. They’re all very angry,” he reports. “And they’re demanding for their leader, Abarai Renji, to return to them right now.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>As a note, "Okami" is the Japanese word for "wolf", and is also the name of a youkai, known specifically as the Okuri-inu or Okuri-okami ("escorting dog" or "escorting wolf"). This youkai is said to follow people closely as they hike along mountain paths at nighttime. If the person falls over, the okami will eat them up, but if the person pretends to have a short rest, they won't get eaten. It's also said that if you reach the end of the path and say "thank you for escorting me" or "goodbye", the okami will stop following you.</p><p>"Ashihara" comes from the mythical place of Ashihara no Nakatsukuni, the world between Heaven and Hell in Japanese mythology.</p><p>As for the aging process, I'm imagining that every one year in us humans is ten years in youkai. So one human year is ten youkai years, ten human years is one-hundred youkai years, twenty human years is two-hundred youkai years, etc.</p><p>Please let me know how I did, and have a good one!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Council Meeting</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>After waking up, Renji is told to stay a bit longer to learn about the situation, which he reluctantly agrees to. However, not even he is prepared for the emotional outburst that'll take place at a meeting with the rest of the Ruling Council.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This chapter is going to get a bit more emotional, especially towards the end. I also had to turn to reading about Edo-period Japan, which is what the world of the Spirit Society is based on in this fic.</p><p>I hope you all enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The first thing that Renji feels as he begins to wake up is warmth and comfort. His body is a little bit sore, and there’s something soft and thick covering his body. In fact, the surface he’s sleeping on… it feels different from the thin futon in his pit house. It’s softer, more warm…</p><p>At this, Renji slowly opens his eyes, frowning as he takes in his surroundings.</p><p>This… is not his home.</p><p>The room is quite large, and much more elegant and sophisticated than his simple pit house. The walls are sliding fusuma panels painted with a forest landscape, and the floor is made from tatami. Even more, the futon he’d been lying down in is much softer and clearly something that belongs to someone wealthier than him.</p><p>The shoji screen door is cracked open a little, and Renji can see a glimpse of the evening sky, painted in orange and magenta, from within.</p><p>
  <em> What the hell happened? How long have I been out for? Oh gods, I hope Komamura and the rest of the village aren’t panicking right now. </em>
</p><p>Renji looks down at his bare chest and notices that his wounds have healed, even the one on his head. Whoever healed him has done a pretty good job, actually.</p><p>Right then, he hears a door sliding open and he slowly sits up just in time to see the same tengu woman he’d saved enter the room with a grace and elegance that mark her as nobility, only to stop in surprise upon seeing him.</p><p>“Oh, you’re awake,” the tengu says, pleasantly surprised.</p><p>Renji regards her warily. “How long have I been out for?” he asks.</p><p>As if noticing how uneasy he is, the tengu just gives him a reassuring smile. “Do not worry, okami-san,” she says. “You were out for only a few hours.” She looks down a little bit shyly now. “I’d like to thank you for saving my life. If it hadn’t been for you, I don’t know what those oni would have done to me.”</p><p>“It’s… It’s nothing,” Renji says, watching her kneel into perfect seiza.</p><p>“My name is Kuchiki Rukia,” the tengu introduces. “I’m the younger sister of Kuchiki Byakuya, the leader of the Tengu Clan. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”</p><p>Renji blinks in surprise. He saved the sister of the Tengu Leader?</p><p>Well… he’s not too sure how to feel about that, to be honest. In fact, he just feels very awkward about this whole situation right now.</p><p>While Renji mainly holds a grudge against the Kitsune Clan for the slaughter of his tribe, he also harbours anger towards the Tengu, Raiju, and Bakeneko Clans for how they enabled the slaughter to take place. Of course, that had been the older generation, but even though this is a newer generation, he still feels quite suspicious of why the Tengu Clan would bring him to their own manor.</p><p>Surprisingly, however, this Kuchiki Rukia seems pretty nice so far.</p><p>“My name is Abarai Renji,” he says at last, draping his fur stole over his shoulders. “I am the leader of the Okami Tribe.”</p><p>“I figured,” Rukia says, fiddling with her fan.</p><p>Looking down again, Renji continues. “Thank you for having my injuries healed,” he says, still feeling weirdly shy. “I appreciate it.”</p><p>“You’re very welcome,” Rukia tells him with a gentle smile. “Would you like something to eat?”</p><p>Before Renji can answer, however, he suddenly feels a flare of reiatsu from outside. No doubt, it belongs to Komamura and the okami warriors. And judging from how it feels, they are very, <em> very </em> angry.</p><p>
  <em> Oh, boy… I gotta go and talk to ‘em; let ‘em know that I’m not dead. </em>
</p><p>Knowing Komamura, if he even suspects that Renji has been hurt in any way, he’ll tear apart everything in his path without mercy. His loyalty is so strong, and while he really appreciates it, that guy needs to learn how to curb his hostility and anger.</p><p>Then again, it’s not like he’s any better…</p><p>“Maybe later,” Renji tells her, pulling off the covers. “I can sense my second-in-command outside, and he’s pretty angry. Gotta let him know that I’m still alive before he loses it.”</p><p>Rukia looks somewhat alarmed at this, but smiles and nods. “A-Ah… alright. Go ahead.”</p><p>Renji gets out of the futon and follows the reiatsu trail through the sparse but opulent hallways, all while ignoring the surprised stares he gets from the servants. He can feel how agitated Komamura is, how agitated the warriors are, and his heart aches a little bit.</p><p><em> I didn’t mean to make you guys worry… </em>Renji thinks guiltily.</p><p>As he nears the entrance, he can hear voices from outside. There’s Komamura’s voice, which is heated and impatient as he demands for Renji to be returned right now, and he can even hear a few snarls mixed in.</p><p>Then there’s an unfamiliar baritone, the voice as rich as silk, and it sends a surprising thrill down Renji’s spine as he listens to the unknown speaker. And judging from the authority in his voice, the unknown speaker must be the Tengu Leader Kuchiki Byakuya.</p><p>“If you even think about holding our leader as a hostage, I will tear your wings off your back with my bare paws!” Komamura snarls venomously. “Let Renji return to us right now!”</p><p>“And I am telling you, your leader has to stay a little bit longer,” the unknown speaker intones, his voice sharp. “We have something important to discuss in regards to the future of Spirit Society, and your leader’s presence is needed for this.”</p><p>Renji raises an eyebrow.</p><p>The future of Spirit Society? And it involves him being there? Why would they want to involve him in their politics?</p><p>A loud snarl from Komamura has Renji tensing up again.</p><p>“We’d rather die than get involved in your affairs, Tengu!” Komamura growls. “Our leader owes you nothing! You made sure we all knew what you all thought of us one hundred years ago, so don’t you dare try and drag us back into your politics!”</p><p>Komamura is right. Spirit Society has no right to ask anything of the Okami Tribe after turning their back on them and allowing the slaughter to happen, but even so, Renji can’t help but wonder just what about the future of Spirit Society involves him and the okami.</p><p>And besides, he also has to calm Komamura before he goes on some rage-fuelled rampage.</p><p>With that, Renji slides the shoji door open and steps outside into the courtyard to see the scene before him.</p><p>Outside, several guards and servants cower in fear as Komamura towers over a tengu man dressed in an elaborate kimono ensemble, his black iridescent wings shimmering slightly in the evening sun. Strangely, both the corners of his eyes and above his eyebrows are decorated with red markings, but it only highlights his uniquely delicate beauty and sharp gray eyes. In fact, every single bit of him suggests a strong and firm authority within him as he holds himself firm against Komamura’s anger. Without a doubt, this is the Tengu Leader himself.</p><p>The tengu looks so elegant and graceful, and Renji can’t help but feel struck for a moment. Never before has he seen such a beautiful man in his life.</p><p>But then he notices the terrified servants and quickly snaps out of his trance.</p><p>“Oi, Komamura!” Renji calls, rushing over.</p><p>Komamura turns his gaze over to Renji, and so does the Tengu Leader, right before Komamura and the hunters bow in greeting.</p><p>“There you are, Abarai!” Komamura sounds so relieved.</p><p>Again, Renji flusters a little and looks down awkwardly. “I thought I told you guys not to bow to me like that? I’m still one of you, you know…” he mutters, folding his arms across his bare chest.</p><p>“You had us all worried when you didn’t come back from meditation,” Komamura tells him, a lot calmer now. “We had to track down your reiatsu and scent to try and find you. Imagine our shock when we traced it all the way here in Ashihara.”</p><p>“I’m sorry for worrying you,” Renji says sincerely. “I got tangled up in a fight against mountain oni, and saved the Tengu Leader’s sister in the process.”</p><p>“And now they’re saying that they need to keep you here longer!” Komamura adds, outraged. “All for the sake of Spirit Society, he says!”</p><p>Frowning again, Renji turns to look at the male tengu. “Are you Kuchiki Byakuya, the Leader of the Tengu Clan?” he asks.</p><p>If the tengu is surprised at Renji’s lack of formality, he doesn’t show it. Instead, he simply nods.</p><p>“Yes, I am Kuchiki Byakuya,” he says.</p><p>Renji nods. “What’s going on?” he asks, his voice now hard and firm. “Us okami have no interest in getting involved in your politics, and you should know that well enough. We just want to live in peace, away from Ashihara, and away from all of you.”</p><p>“Unless we act soon, there won’t be anywhere for you to live in isolation,” Byakuya says grimly. “Spirit Society is in danger of being destroyed by the Oni Tribe, and we need to combine our forces to fight back against them.”</p><p>At that, Renji falters slightly, but straightens himself.</p><p>“Why should we be bothered to fight for a society that turned their backs on us when we were getting slaughtered?” he asks coldly. “You can find help from somewhere else, as far as I’m concerned. Just leave us out of your petty politics.”</p><p>“At least attend the council meeting tomorrow,” Byakuya tells him. “You need to be aware of what kind of danger we’re facing.”</p><p>Renji frowns slightly.</p><p>As much as he doesn’t want to admit, Byakuya does have a point. Unless Renji knows what exactly this situation is in its entirety, he won’t be able to make a proper and well-informed decision.</p><p>Besides, that threat does sound rather foreboding if it means they wouldn’t be able to live in isolation…</p><p>So with some reluctance, he nods. “Alright then,” Renji says. “I’ll attend this council meeting tomorrow. But Komamura and our warriors have to stay as well.”</p><p>“Very well,” Byakuya agrees. “I shall have the servants prepare the guest house for you and your warriors. As for the meeting itself, it will be held tomorrow morning at the Central Assembly Hall. So if you would follow us, please.”</p><p>Byakuya turns and enters the manor, practically gliding with such an ethereal elegance that actually mesmerizes Renji as he and the rest of the okami follow.</p><p>However, his thoughts are interrupted when he notices Komamura looking at him in disbelief. “Are you serious, Abarai?” he hisses. “Why are you accepting their orders?”</p><p>“He raises a good point on how there might not be a world for us to live in isolation very soon,” Renji explains. “I need to at least know what the situation is before I can make an informed decision.”</p><p>Komamura doesn’t answer, but the way his shoulders loosen shows that he understands Renji’s line of thinking.</p><p>But as they walk down the corridors of the manor, Renji finds himself staring at how Byakuya’s iridescent wings shimmer almost purple and green in the faint glow of the evening sun. He can’t help how fascinated he is with them, in spite of himself.</p><p>However, he quickly banishes those thoughts and tries to stay focused on not letting his guard down. After all, he and his warriors might be welcome to stay in the manor of the Tengu Lord, but none of them are going to take a chance on dropping their guard around these youkai.</p><p>One hundred years is much too early to think about forgiveness. And no matter how beautiful this current clan lord is, Renji cannot afford to be distracted from his responsibilities as the current leader.</p><p>He blinks. <em> Did… Did I just think he’s beautiful? </em></p><p>Dammit… it seems like this is going to be a lot harder than expected.</p><hr/><p>Dinner with Rukia is as interesting as it always is for Byakuya. As always, Rukia has plenty of stories to tell him, and he is content to listen to how she’d spent her day while they eat their dinner.</p><p>Laid out on the chabudai table are dishes with steamed rice, miso soup, daikon radish, sashimi, and pickled greens. Also being served along with dinner is green tea, poured into delicate sakura-decorated cups.</p><p>“How was he when he woke up? The okami leader?” Byakuya asks Rukia, gently blowing on his tea before taking a sip.</p><p>“He was a little surprised, I suppose,” Rukia answers after swallowing her sashimi. “He also seemed rather confused and shy, which is understandable, considering the history between them and the Ruling Council. How did that, er, negotiation with the okami turn out, Nii-sama?”</p><p>Byakuya sighs. “It was more stressful than I’d expected,” he admits. “First, there was a very large wolf, who turned out to be the second-in-command, practically threatening to destroy everything if I didn’t let Abarai Renji return to them. I’m sure even people inside their homes could have heard him.”</p><p>Rukia smiles slightly. “Well, I know I did,” she chuckles. “His voice was very loud.”</p><p>“The fact that the okami go shirtless all the time is going to be a distraction for some of the maidservants around here,” Byakuya adds. “I just know it.”</p><p>Again, Rukia laughs at that. “Honestly, it doesn’t sound too bad for me,” she says between bites of rice. “Besides, by tomorrow, I think all of Ashihara and Spirit Society will know about this turn of events.”</p><p>The two siblings continue to eat their dinner and speak about other trivial matters. Eventually, Rukia leaves the dining room to turn in for the night, but Byakuya opts to take a walk around the manor before going to bed.</p><p>After removing his haori, yuigesa, mask, and veiled headdress, Byakuya also leaves his staff in his bedroom before sliding open the shoji door onto the engawa porch to reveal the night sky as he steps out.</p><p>The gardens are so quiet at this time of night, apart from the sounds of crickets, but it’s all the better to appreciate the natural beauty. Byakuya is content to take his time as he admires the moonlight that casts a silvery glow onto the gardens, and he inhales the sweetness of the night air as he walks.</p><p>Moments like these are rare for him. To step away from his position as a clan leader, to remove that mask and not worry about the opinions about other people… he hardly ever gets those opportunities. It’s his duty to uphold the honour of the Tengu, to protect the Spirit Society, but even so, it would be nice to step away from those duties every now and then.</p><p>At least when Hisana had been alive, he’d had someone who could see him at his most vulnerable. While his clan had been outraged that he’d gotten involved with a yuki onna, Byakuya hadn’t cared about any of that. He loved her dearly, yet those few years he’d spent with her feel so ephemeral.</p><p>He sighs.</p><p><em> If only you were here, Hisana… </em> Byakuya thinks, a pang of grief hitting him momentarily. <em> You always loved to watch the moonlight shine on the gardens. </em></p><p>A ring of laughter suddenly gets his attention, and Byakuya realizes that he’s near the guest house where the okami are residing for now. Their shoji door is opened wide, and he can see all the activity going on in that dining room.</p><p>Renji is seated at the head of the long chabudai table, with Komamura and the warriors seated at the same table as well. He seems to be telling them some kind of story, and all the warriors listen with rapt attention as he speaks animatedly.</p><p>It’s a strangely fascinating sight.</p><p>Every single one of those warriors… it’s clear how much they revere Renji. Even more, what surprises Byakuya is how Renji doesn’t even hesitate to act so familiar and friendly with his warriors. Is it any wonder why they’d been so furiously demanding their leader’s return?</p><p>Byakuya recalls how they’d bowed upon seeing Renji, and how he’d gotten rather flustered while insisting that they don’t bow to him like that, apparently not for the first time.</p><p>What kind of a leader is Abarai Renji? Byakuya can’t help but wonder about it, especially after seeing those interactions between him and his tribe members.</p><p><em> Will you agree to fight alongside us? </em> Byakuya thinks to himself.</p><p>As if sensing his presence, however, Renji turns and looks right at Byakuya in surprise, prompting the warriors to also turn and stare at him, albeit with hostility. Then, Komamura gets up and slides the shoji door shut all while glaring at him, as if daring him to come any closer.</p><p>He should’ve seen that coming.</p><p>The okami are clearly on-edge and very suspicious, understandably so. Byakuya is fully aware of how Ashihara has wronged them, especially the four ruling clans, all through slaughter and inaction. He strongly disagrees with how the older generation had dealt with that conflict, especially the inaction of the Tengu, Raiju, and Bakeneko Clans, but all he wants is to reach an understanding with the Okami Tribe.</p><p>And hopefully they all can reach an understanding soon enough.</p><p>With a quiet sigh, Byakuya turns and heads back to his quarters, all while wondering why Renji had looked so surprised while the warriors had looked more hostile.</p><hr/><p>Morning comes faster than expected, and Renji finds himself waking up to the chirping of songbirds from outside. The sun is only starting to rise, but he still climbs out of the futon so he can get ready for the day.</p><p>After bathing in the manor’s bathhouse, he changes into his karusan-bakama and drapes his fur stole over his bare shoulders before tying his hair up into a high ponytail. Honestly, he doesn’t care about how he’s mostly shirtless; it’s how the okami live, and if anyone has a problem with it, well… that’s their problem.</p><p>A short while later, everyone else has woken up and are now having breakfast, which Renji takes with Komamura and his warriors.</p><p>Like last night’s dinner, breakfast is much more elaborate than what Renji is used to. There are multiple dishes that hold food like steamed rice, miso soup with egg, some tofu dish, and even broiled fish, fried egg wrapped in dried seaweed, and pickled vegetables.</p><p>It’s a far cry from the simpler meals he’s had in their forest village.</p><p>Which is why Renji opts to eat only the fish, just like how he had last night. After all, he’s not used to these kinds of exquisitely-prepared meals.</p><p>“Are you ready for this meeting, Abarai?” Komamura asks, interrupting Renji’s thoughts.</p><p>Renji looks up from his tea and nods slowly. “I… I hope I am,” he says. “I’ve never done this before.”</p><p>“It’s probably no different from the regular village meetings,” Komamura encourages. “But remember. Hold yourself strong, and don’t let them try and shame you for your anger, because they know they deserve our anger.”</p><p><em> That they do… </em>Renji thinks.</p><p>“Thank you, Komamura,” he says with a smile. “I have to get going now.”</p><p>“Good luck, Abarai.”</p><p>After receiving more wishes of good luck from the warriors, Renji takes his leave from the dining room. Once he gets a set of directions to the Central Assembly Hall, he then sets out from the manor complex into the streets of Kizokugai, the neighbourhood of the Tengu Clan.</p><p>Even though Renji carries himself with a diplomatic air befitting a tribe leader, he can’t help but feel a little tense as he notices several youkai staring at him. Majority of the stares are surprised, no doubt because of what he is, but some of them are also judgemental, definitely because of what he wears.</p><p>After some time, he reaches the building of the Central Assembly Hall, passing through the sanmon gate as he enters the complex. It’s a decently-sized wooden shoin-zukuri style building with a black irimoya-style roof, and its simple but elegant appearance is quite beautiful, Renji has to admit.</p><p>Upon entering the building, he tracks down Byakuya’s reiatsu trail and follows it to the room where the meeting is supposed to take place.</p><p>When he reaches the meeting room and slides the shoji door open, Renji notices that the other clan heads have arrived as well. He also notices that Byakuya is dressed in the same elaborate kimono ensemble from yesterday, but is also wearing a red eye mask that sits elegantly on his face.</p><p><em> Why’s he wearing that? </em> Renji can’t help but wonder as he looks around the room and takes in the sight of the other clan leaders.</p><p>In the seat of the Raiju Clan, there’s a friendly-looking dark-haired man dressed in a black sleeveless crop top with a white rope-like tasuki, a yellow karusan-bakama with some kind of dark-blue tail cover. His whole body is marked with red tattoos, and he wears some bronze horns upon his head, along with a bronze belt bearing the face of an angry god. Surrounding him are four taiko drums, and he wears a friendly smile upon his face.</p><p>Then, in the seat of the Bakeneko Clan, there’s a beautiful dark-skinned woman dressed in a low-cut orange hikizuri-style kimono with a purple obi, decorated with floral patterns. Her hair is tied up in a loose bun, adorned with a chrysanthemum kanzashi. Also on her head are two cat ears, and even her golden eyes have a certain catlike nature to them.</p><p>But then Renji’s eyes land upon the Leader of the Kitsune Clan, and his skin crawls.</p><p>This man has silver-like hair that frames his weirdly-smiling face and closed eyes, with fox ears resting on top of his head. His tail is more translucent, and he’s dressed in purple hakama beneath a cream-coloured sokutai with long and draping sleeves, and a lilac half-haori over his left side.</p><p>Just looking at this leader is enough to make Renji tense up. And if that’s not enough, his seat is actually right across from the Kitsune Leader, much to his dismay.</p><p>“Ah, you must be the Okami Leader. I’m Shiba Kaien, Leader of the Raiju Clan,” the Raiju Leader greets, a friendly smile on his face. “Come, sit.”</p><p>Hesitantly, Renji goes and sits down, crossing his legs tailor-style as they all introduce themselves.</p><p>“Shihouin Yoruichi, Leader of the Bakeneko Clan,” the woman greets, eyeing his tattoos appreciatively.</p><p>“Ichimaru Gin, Leader of the Kitsune,” the silver-haired man says, his smile never leaving his face. “Nice ta meet ya, Okami-san.”</p><p>Renji narrows his eyes slightly. “Abarai Renji, Leader of the Okami Tribe,” he introduces.</p><p>“Ehh… why’re you acting so suspicious of me?” Ichimaru asks, leaning on the chabudai table. “Don’t tell me yer still holdin’ onto the past, Abarai-kun?”</p><p><em> Did he just…?! </em> Renji looks up sharply, digging his claws into the table as he glares at the kitsune.</p><p>Byakuya sharply turns to look at Ichimaru, and Shihouin looks at him, completely appalled.</p><p>“Ichimaru!” Shiba hisses, stunned. “What the hell?!”</p><p>Renji’s lips curl into a snarl as he flares his reiatsu threateningly. “Mind sayin’ that to me again, Ichimaru?” he growls.</p><p>“Enough.” Byakuya slams the end of his staff into the ground, the clinging of rings silencing all of them.</p><p>Slowly coming down from his anger, Renji releases the table as he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.</p><p>“What do you want to discuss with me?” he asks, trying to cool his anger. “You mentioned something about Spirit Society being in danger, right? What’s going on?”</p><p>Shihouin sits up straight as she starts to explain. “The Oni Tribe is posing a threat to us all,” she begins, her voice grave. “They plan to invade Ashihara on Hyakki Yagyo, which falls on a new moon this year. It’s during the new moon that the powers of the oni are at their strongest, and unless we all combine forces, we don’t stand a chance against them.”</p><p>“Furthermore, the oni are planning on destroying Hogyoku-ji,” Shiba continues.</p><p>Renji frowns again. “Hogyoku-ji?” he repeats.</p><p>He swears he’s heard the name before.</p><p>“Hogyoku-ji is the most sacred temple in all of Spirit Society,” Byakuya explains. “It holds the Hogyoku, a jewel that is the source of power for every single youkai in this world. Every year, on Hyakki Yagyo, the barriers that protect the temple weaken and must be strengthened again through a special ceremony, which leaves the temple vulnerable to thieves and intruders. If they destroy this temple, then all of Spirit Society is doomed to be destroyed as well.”</p><p>“Which is why we need your help, Abarai-kun,” Shiba concludes. “The last time all five ruling clans combined their powers, it had been during the ancient times to destroy Shuten Doji, the most terrifying Oni Leader of all time. And through that, our ancestors managed to destroy him and his entire army, on a new moon itself. So please, we need you to help us fight the Oni Tribe.”</p><p>Renji cannot believe what he’s hearing.</p><p>All five ruling clans? Since when had they considered the Okami Tribe to be one of their own? After all, they’d done nothing to stop that horrific massacre one hundred years ago, even though the kitsune had literally stripped them of their land, all because they wanted to appease the damn leader.</p><p>How dare they. How dare they try and ask him for help now.</p><p>Before Renji even realizes, he begins to laugh. It’s not even amused or genuine laughter. It’s bitter, sardonic, and disbelieving because their request itself is so damn absurd, really.</p><p>“So, let me get this straight,” Renji says, his voice hard, “you want me to aid a society that turned their backs on us as our tribe was slaughtered?” He practically spits out the words as he glares at Ichimaru again.</p><p>Byakuya seems to flinch a little. Ichimaru looks a bit uncomfortable, Shihouin looks down with some guilt, and Shiba tries to speak placatingly.</p><p>“It was discovered that the former Kitsune Leader had tricked the council for the sake of expanding his manor,” he says apologetically. “There had been no territorial dispute, as he’d claimed, and there had been no evidence of kitsune presence on your land, as they’d discovered a few months after your flight into the forest.”</p><p>Oh, so they were all tricked? Well, that just makes everything better, doesn’t it?</p><p>Renji’s hands tremble with pure rage, and something inside of him <em> snaps. </em> All his repressed rage and pain, all the memories of the burning huts and his mother’s corpse, every single nightmare he’s had since that horrific night… all of it comes flooding back as he unleashes his emotions on all of them.</p><p>“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” he demands, his voice rising in anger as his reiatsu flares harshly. “I was a <em> child </em> when the kitsune stormed through our district and started slaughtering us! I saw my own mother die right in front of me! Nothing you say is ever gonna bring her back; hell, nothing you say will bring back the loved ones of my fellow okami!”</p><p>“Abarai-kun-” Ichimaru tries to interrupt.</p><p>“No! You let me finish!” Renji snarls at Ichimaru. “Thanks to your clan, an entire generation of okami has grown up traumatized, including myself! We all had to deal with the fact that none of you saw us as worth anything; all that mattered was keeping the peace, and if that meant sacrificing an entire fucking tribe, then it was fine by you! And now you want us to help?!”</p><p>By the time he’s finished his tirade, Renji just feels so emotionally drained. He just slumps forward, resting his hands in his palms as he tries to calm himself down. His breath comes out shakily, and he raises his head to see how guilty Shihouin and Shiba look, how ashamed Ichimaru appears.</p><p>And while Byakuya’s eyes are covered with his mask, he seems just as regretful right now.</p><p>“Why the fuck do you want our help so badly, anyways?” he asks tiredly.</p><p>Silence hangs in the air for what feels like an eternity. But at last, Byakuya speaks.</p><p>“What if we made a deal?” he asks.</p><p>Renji frowns, glancing at him. “What?”</p><p>“If you and the Okami Tribe agree to help us defeat the Oni Tribe, then not only will we return the stolen land to you,” Byakuya says, “but we will restore the Okami Tribe to its former glory as well.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>- Yuki onna is a youkai, whose name translates to "snow woman". While they are said to prey on lost travellers in Japan's snowy mountains, they can sometimes fall in love with their intended prey and let them go free, and some of them even go as far as marrying human men and living happily together, at least until her identity is revealed.</p><p>- Shuten Douji is the mythical king of the oni, and one of the most evil youkai in Japanese folklore and mythology.</p><p>It looks like it might take some more time and patience in order to gain Renji's trust. Hopefully the rest of the youkai can succeed in making amends to him and the Okami Tribe.</p><p>Please let me know how I did, and have a good one!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Baby Steps</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Renji agrees to the deal, but with one condition. And now, it's up to the other clan leaders to uphold their end of the bargain.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This chapter gave me a bit of trouble at first, but now I know where to go. And I'll admit, it was pretty fun to write, especially our introduction to Ichigo and Orihime here.</p><p>I hope you all enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Renji’s eyes widen slightly as he lets Byakuya’s words register in his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To have their glory restored… to have their land returned to them… is he serious about all of this? It’s almost impossible to believe what he’s hearing, but Byakuya sounds very sincere in his promise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, Renji and the okami actually like their simple life in the forest. Then again, the okami have always lived simply, but even so, the thought of having their former land back, and making it their own all over again, and to have their authority as one of the True Ruling Clans of Spirit Society once more… it really sounds very tempting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even so, Renji’s not going to let his guard down so easily. If these clans want to work with him and the okami so badly, they’ll have to earn back both his trust and that of the Okami Tribe as well. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Does it sound a bit much? Maybe. But one hundred years of trauma has taught Renji a lot of things, and he’s not going to be so trusting just like that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If they want his trust, they’ll have to earn it. And hopefully they’ll agree to his terms. After all, actions speak louder than words.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will accept your deal,” Renji says slowly, “under one condition.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Name it,” Byakuya says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have until Hyakki Yagyo at the end of the month itself to prove that I and the other okami can trust all of you,” Renji tells him and the other clan leaders. “Only if you promise that, I’ll consider helping you. And if not, well… you’ll have to ask another clan or tribe to help you out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While everyone looks a little surprised, there doesn’t seem to be any disagreement or uncertainty. In fact, it seems like everyone agrees to this, surprisingly enough.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright then,” Shihouin says. “It sounds fair enough.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure, why not?” Ichimaru says with a shrug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shiba nods. “And it’ll be a good way for us to atone for what happened one hundred years ago,” he adds, giving him a friendly smile. “Hopefully this can help us all mend fences and bury the hatchet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji nods with a faint smile. “I hope so too,” he says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then it’s decided,” Byakuya says. “We shall all work to prove that Abarai Renji and the Okami Tribe can trust us like how they once did in the past, before Hyakki Yagyo itself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To be honest, Renji does want to rebuild ties with the Tengu, Raiju, and Bakeneko clans. He wants to be able to trust them and work alongside them like how they had been able to in the past. To reconnect with them could help the Okami Tribe greatly, especially in terms of living and land issues. And if they’re willing to put in the effort and regain his trust, then he’ll be happy to help them out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As for the Kitsune Clan, however… he still has mixed feelings about them, especially about Ichimaru. After all, they were the ones who massacred his tribe a hundred years ago, and it’ll take a lot more work from them if Renji and the Okami Tribe want to trust them again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And hopefully Ichimaru will take this just as seriously, instead of mocking him for still being hurt over the tragedy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know what? I have an idea,” Shiba says, getting Renji’s attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji glances at him curiously. “Yeah?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I’ve already invited Kuchiki Rukia to grab some lunch with me, so how about you come out and grab a bite to eat with us?” Shiba suggests to him. “There’s a nice izakaya we’re going to that I think you might like. How does that sound?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While a little surprised at the invitation, Renji just nods somewhat hesitantly. “S-Sure, that doesn’t sound too bad…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh?! What’s with that half-assed answer?!” Shiba demands, sounding a little annoyed. “If you wanna come, then say so! And make sure you actually sound sure of yourself!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“O-Okay! I’ll take you up on it!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Well, he certainly didn’t expect something like this all of a sudden already. Then again, Renji is a little pleased that Shiba is taking this seriously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Much better!” Shiba nods approvingly. “Well, I guess this meeting has finished, hasn’t it, Kuchiki?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya simply nods. “This meeting is adjourned,” he says, rising up gracefully. “Thank you all for your time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As everyone files out of the room and heads out of the Central Assembly Hall, Renji finds himself being led by Shiba in a different direction from the Kuchiki Manor, much to his surprise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“W-Wait, what are you doing?” Renji asks, feeling mildly alarmed. “I have to inform my second-in-command about what decision I’ve made!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will inform him of your whereabouts,” Byakuya tells him. “I will also have the servants make some more preparations, now that your stay at my manor will be extended. So you can just go and enjoy your outing with Shiba Kaien.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shiba grins. “See? You heard the man,” he says. “Now come on! Rukia’s probably waiting for us already!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While still a little caught off-guard, Renji nevertheless follows him out of the Assembly Hall complex and back onto the streets of Kizokugai.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After living in a secluded forest village for so long, Renji finds himself feeling a little bit awkward walking on the streets. Since this neighbourhood is much more classy and polished, he very much stands out like a sore thumb.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Already, he can feel other youkai staring at him as they make their way to the izakaya, and he feels his ears twitch slightly as he picks up on the whispers that drift in the air.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that an okami?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look at his ears! Of course he is!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How uncouth! He should know better than to walk about without something to cover his torso, especially since he’s supposed to be the leader!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Clearly he doesn’t. He’s been living in the forest for a hundred years; as if he’d know anything about proper manners.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji’s cheeks burn slightly, but he simply glares at the offenders while letting his reiatsu flare a little to put some more bite into it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, just because you whisper doesn’t mean I can’t hear you,” Renji snarls, making them shrink back a little. “Don’t you have anything better to do than mock a tribe leader?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The stunned youkai is too frozen to even react, so Renji just turns away from him, clenching his fists again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As if noticing this, Shiba just gives him a reassuring smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry, Abarai-kun,” he tells him. “Those guys have never seen an okami before in their lives. Don’t let their stares or comments get to you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite his reassurance, however, Renji still feels a little bit anxious as they gradually near the izakaya, the red lanterns hanging beside the entrance becoming more clear as they get closer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The izakaya is quite busy at this hour; fairly unusual, but not very bad. Merchants and minor nobles sit around tables, laughing and having sake and beer along with pickled vegetables, tempura, and other kinds of snack foods. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But when they enter the izakaya, silence practically falls over the whole place as everyone turns to look at them curiously, making Renji feel even more self-conscious.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, there she is,” Shiba says with a smile, gesturing to the table where Rukia is seated, also wearing a red mask over her eyes. “Come on, let’s go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fortunately, the conversations start up again as they fully enter the izakaya, but there are more whispers now, much to Renji’s dismay.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they near the table, Shiba grins at Rukia. “Yo! How’s it going, Rukia?” he greets.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s great to see you again, Kaien-dono!” Rukia says with a smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji sits cross-legged next to Shiba as he just looks around the izakaya.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Since he and the okami have been living in the forest, they don’t have anything like an izakaya in their village. Hell, sake itself is a rarity in their village, since the brewing process is a tedious and lengthy one. Sake is only brewed once in a blue moon, and it’s always stored away until a festival comes around; in fact, it’s strictly forbidden to even try and bring out sake bottles for any other non-festive occasion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A serving girl comes by and pours three cups of sake for them, and Shiba has everyone toast glasses with a cheer of ‘Kanpai!’ before they drink.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji takes a small sip of sake, his eyebrows furrowing slightly as he notices the difference in taste and quality.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This sake is definitely of a better quality than the sake in the village. Then again, the brewing process in Ashihara must be more fine-tuned in general. Plus, the flavour is a lot more enhanced than what Renji is used to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He has to admit, it tastes pretty good.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So? You like the sake, Abarai?” Shiba asks with a slight grin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji nods, setting his glass down. “Yeah,” he says. “It’s different from what I’m used to in our village.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How so?” Rukia asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, because of how tedious the brewing process is for us, we only brew once every now and then, and then we store it away until a festival comes,” Renji explains. “And our sake is a bit more crude, I guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ehhh?” Shiba looks absolutely stunned. “Oh man, I feel so bad for you! How can you have never had sake like this before?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I mean… we are isolated, you know?” Renji reminds him, raising an eyebrow. “So we gotta be prudent with our means of living.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Right then, the serving girl comes by with platters of sakana such as grilled chicken yakitori, raw sashimi, tsukemono, and some seaweed, all of which smell very good.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And as expected, they taste pretty good as well, especially the yakitori.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s in-between the food that Renji finds himself engaging in conversation, albeit rather hesitantly, with Shiba and Rukia.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, Abarai… I just wanted to apologize on behalf of Ichimaru,” Shiba says, sounding a bit more serious now. “What he said to you was pretty out of line. I’m sorry you had to hear that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji glances at him, pleasantly surprised. “I appreciate you apologizing on his behalf, but you don’t have to,” he says. “You weren’t the one who insulted me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, but with Ichimaru, well…” Shiba looks a little uneasy. “He can be quite a character, let’s just say that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Er… okay… </span>
  </em>
  <span>Renji thinks, unsure of how to respond to that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, what do you think of Ashihara so far, now that you’re back after one hundred years?” Rukia asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji just shrugs. “Well, I haven’t been here long enough to make a judgement yet,” he says. “It’s still a bit too soon for me to be saying my thoughts right now. But I will say that this district is definitely a bit too aristocratic for someone like me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shiba laughs. “Ah, don’t worry,” he says. “I might be nobility myself, but I’ll never understand our ways, honestly. Hell, I don’t understand why Kuchiki Byakuya insists on following them all the time!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Excuse you!” Rukia chides. “Nii-sama is the perfect tengu to ever exist! He upholds those rules because he cares about tradition!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they both banter, Renji can’t help but wonder why Rukia and Byakuya both wear eye masks in public. Is it some kind of tengu thing?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why do you wear that?” Renji asks, getting Rukia’s attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wear what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That red mask. Your brother was also wearing one in the meeting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, yes,” Rukia says, smiling faintly. “This is a part of tradition for us. All high-ranking tengu are obligated to wear a mask in public, especially members of the clan leader’s family. It’s a symbol of our authority, and we have to uphold it in order to be respected and taken seriously.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“See what I mean?” Shiba says, playfully rolling his eyes. “This is how Kuchiki Byakuya upholds tradition.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, you’re just jealous that you don’t have a cool mask like us,” Rukia teases.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shiba snorts. “As if. I think you’re just jealous you don’t have cool taiko drums floating around you all the time,” he teases back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“At least I can fly!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I can control lightning!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, but my magic is fire!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And fire can be caused by lightning!”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It seems like they’re just bantering for the sake of bantering now… </span>
  </em>
  <span>Renji observes, chuckling slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If I didn’t know better, I’d say that the both of you are brother and sister, honestly,” he says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shiba looks pleasantly surprised. “Is that so?” he asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t let Nii-sama hear you say that,” Rukia warns, albeit jokingly. “He’ll be very insulted.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course,” Shiba snorts. “He might act all cold and uptight, but he’s still that same little brat he once was.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nii-sama was not a brat!” Rukia chides, mock-offended. “He was just very hot-headed!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Watching these two banter is unusually entertaining, Renji can’t help but think. In fact, he’s actually beginning to enjoy Shiba Kaien’s company a little, to his surprise. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not only is he very friendly, but he’s also quite relaxed and easy-going; a pleasant surprise, but definitely a welcome one. Renji is glad that Shiba isn’t as uptight as his predecessor might have been, and that he’s taking initiative to get to know him more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Plus, Rukia herself doesn’t seem so bad as well. She’s polite, well-spoken, and good-hearted, and she definitely doesn’t judge Renji for how he looks or dresses. It’s still a little bit surprising that such a well-dressed and elegant tengu would want to spend time with a rough and fierce okami like him, but then again, he did save her life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hopefully the other clan leaders will be willing to put in the same amount of effort like Shiba and Rukia right now.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>As they continue talking over sake and sakana, Kaien is careful to observe Abarai Renji and his behaviour.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While he seems rather reluctant still, understandably so, Abarai is slowly starting to loosen up a bit as they continue talking. Of course, he’s still not fully trusting and open, but tentative is still better than nothing, honestly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To be honest, Kaien has never met a man with such a unique appearance like this current okami leader. With his tall and muscular stature, those black jagged tattoos that mark his slightly-bronzed skin, and his long red hair, he definitely looks quite rough, especially with the fur stole over his shoulders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And plus, those wolf ears of his are strangely… adorable.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He seems like the last person one would expect to be a leader, but Abarai has that firm and fair authority about him, as well as a strong and commanding presence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What kind of leader he is, Kaien is curious to see. Earlier, before the meeting had started, Kuchiki Byakuya had been sharing the story of how the okami leader and his warriors have taken up temporary residence in the guest house on his manor complex, and his observations of how they are so far.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>According to Kuchiki, Abarai is absolutely revered by his warriors and by the rest of his tribe. He also insists on being treated not as a supreme leader, but as an equal to everyone else. Plus, he seems very involved with his community as a whole.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So far, Abarai seems like a pretty good guy for the most part.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eventually, they finish up with the food and drink, and once they’ve paid, the three of them leave the izakaya and onto the street.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, Abarai,” Kaien says, glancing at him as they start walking. “Rukia and I are just gonna go on a stroll right now. You wanna join us?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abarai shakes his head. “Sorry, but I gotta get back,” he says. “I need to talk to my second-in-command and warriors and let them know what my decision is. Plus… I’ll have to prepare them for the coming days.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kaien nods in understanding. “Fair enough,” he concedes. “Hopefully I can meet your warriors and second soon enough.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they reach the karamon of the Kuchiki Manor, Abarai parts ways with the both of them. “Thank you for taking me to the izakaya, Shiba-san,” he says tentatively. “I appreciate it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No worries. And hey, don’t bother using formalities with me. I’m not like that,” Kaien says with a smile. “Anyways, see you around!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Abarai heads back into the manor complex, Kaien continues his walk with Rukia as the topic changes to the subject of how she’d been saved in Momiji no Mori yesterday.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So… that Abarai guy…” Kaien begins. “He’s pretty interesting so far.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rukia nods. “He is, indeed,” she agrees.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have you spoken to him yet?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I haven’t had the chance,” Rukia admits. “He and the other okami are pretty on-edge about staying in our manor right now, especially Komamura Sajin, his second-in-command.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is he that giant wolf?” Kaien asks, raising an eyebrow. “I heard whispers about him being a giant talking wolf.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He is,” Rukia says. “And is he ever protective and loyal.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kaien chuckles. “Looks like we gotta come up with some more plans to gain his trust,” he says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gain whose trust?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Right then, a familiar young yosei woman with long auburn hair and a sweet smile approaches them. As always, she wears a pink kimono patterned with azalea flowers and with a short flared skirt that shows off her legs and thighs, along with a paler-pink obi. Her long hair is tied into a side-braid decorated with flowers, and a pair of glittering, translucent wings rest on her back. Likewise, her face is decorated with gold sparkling patterns near her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Also accompanying her is a young kodama man with orange spiky hair, shimmering brown markings near his eyes, wearing a green yukata that shows off his bare chest, also decorated with shimmering green markings. With a few stray leaves in his hair, and some dirt around his bare feet, he looks no different from how he usually does.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Inoue-san! Kurosaki!” Rukia greets, pleasantly surprised.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kaien smiles at Inoue Orihime, a young yosei who happens to be good friends with Rukia. “Yo, Inoue, Kurosaki,” he greets.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We heard the rumours about how the okami leader is staying at your manor,” Kurosaki says, raising an eyebrow. “Is it true that he saved your life?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rukia nods. “It is,” she says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s also agreed to help us fight against the Oni Tribe on Hyakki Yagyo, on the condition that we all work to earn his trust by then,” Kaien adds. “So, what brings you two here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Inoue looks down shyly. “Actually… we were hoping to meet him,” she admits, rubbing the back of her neck. “But it seems like that’s not going to happen now, is it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We should give him some time,” Rukia says with a gentle smile. “It’s only been a day, and he’s still trying to get used to the change in environment.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll get to meet him soon,” Kaien reassures. “We just gotta let him take his time to open up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, that’s fair,” Kurosaki agrees. “Anyways, can you tell us more about how he saved your life, Rukia?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I… I guess I could,” Rukia says with a chuckle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Rukia starts to tell the story of how Abarai Renji had saved her from the mountain oni in Momiji no Mori again, Kaien just listens silently as his mind drifts back to the meeting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He recalls the angry outburst that Abarai had during the meeting, where he’d lashed out at Ichimaru for the massacre of the okami, and at him, Shihouin, and Kuchiki for how their clans had enabled it to happen. Gods, the pain in his voice as he’d shouted at them… that’s the pain of someone who has seen too much in his life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kaien himself strongly disagrees with how the older generation had enabled the massacre of the okami. Thanks to their incompetence, and their refusal to protect the okami’s land rights in favour of appeasing the greed of the kitsune leader back then, they’ve now lost a brilliant part of Ashihara, one that will hate them for as long as they all live.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And now, the current generation has to try and fix the damage done by their elders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Kaien isn’t going to complain. It’s up to him and the rest of his generation to mend fences and make things right again, and he will gladly do it, no matter how long it takes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And hopefully, his efforts will pay off soon enough.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>After a lengthy training session, where he’d practiced his ice magic, Byakuya finds himself in the library of his manor, reading through an old history book as he reflects on today’s meeting. His face feels much more free, now that he’s taken his mask off and put it in his bedroom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The meeting had gone much better than he’d expected, especially when Renji had agreed to the deal he’d offered. Even though he’d lashed out at all of them, it’s good that he’s at least willing to let them try and earn his trust again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya sighs softly, turning the page as he recalls Renji lashing out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His voice had sounded so angry, yet beneath the anger, there had been pain. And to know that Renji had only been a child when he’d seen his own mother get killed right in front of him… it really hurt his heart.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Our ancestors have really failed the Okami Tribe, haven’t they?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Byakuya thinks to himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Typical. Even though the older generation is guilty of the crime, the younger generation has to fix the damage done, all while bearing the brunt of the anger of the wronged party. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But that’s how it’s always been since the start of time itself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even so… Byakuya realizes that how he feels now is much different than anything he’s felt before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wants to help Renji move forward from his pain and trauma, help him overcome the ghosts of the past. No one deserves to go through what he’d endured, and if Byakuya can help him out in any way, then he’ll do anything to help.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But what can he do to earn Renji’s trust right now? It has to be meaningful, he decides. Something that not just Renji will appreciate, but also his warriors. After all, it’s clear how much he cares about them, and earning their trust is just as important for all of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya closes the book and puts it away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He has to think of something soon. Something that Renji and his tribe will appreciate, and something that will form the foundations of a strong, meaningful bond.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And hopefully, it will be something that will mend fences between not just the Tengu Clan and Okami Tribe, but between himself and Renji.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t know why he feels this way, but something about Abarai Renji is so… enchanting. Byakuya wants to get to know Renji a bit more, and he’ll do anything to make sure that Renji can fully trust him and the tengu, like how they did once upon a time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But what can he do to try and earn Renji’s trust again?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya finds himself raising the question to Rukia at dinner that night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What would be a good way to prove that I can be trusted?” Byakuya asks after swallowing his mouthful of rice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rukia pauses mid-bite and thinks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well…” She takes a sip of tea and answers. “Abarai-kun seemed to appreciate Kaien-dono’s efforts in taking him out for a bite to eat, as well as his attempt to get to know him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya nods slowly. “I see.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know you’re not one for izakaya, but perhaps you could take him out for some kaiseki?” Rukia suggests with a smile. “I’m sure he might appreciate the finer things you’ll have to offer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But would Renji really like kaiseki? He doesn’t seem like someone with patience for fine dining or luxury; Byakuya already knows how Renji and the okami warriors had only eaten the rice and sashimi served for dinner last night, leaving the other courses untouched.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Would he appreciate theatre?” Byakuya wonders, recalling how there’s a kabuki play he plans on seeing at some point.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe so,” Rukia says with a shrug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Well, this is turning out to be tougher than expected, honestly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He could show Renji his library, since he does seem to be rather curious about literature. Or maybe he could show him around the gardens of his manor?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe you could talk to him first,” Rukia points out. “Just get to know him a little bit more, and you might learn what he likes and doesn’t like. Maybe you could invite him to join you for breakfast or dinner tomorrow.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya blinks. But of course. Unless he gets to know what Renji is like, how can he plan anything else for them to do?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Leave it to his little sister to think of these things.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re right,” he says. “Perhaps I could extend an invitation for breakfast tomorrow.” He gives Rukia a faint but rare smile. “You are truly wise, Rukia.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rukia practically beams proudly. “Thank you, Nii-sama!” she says, bowing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya just nods, feeling a little bit shy at how reverently Rukia looks at him. He’s used to her always looking up to him, but it never fails to make him a bit embarrassed sometimes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Regardless, he has an idea of what to do. He’ll give Renji an invitation to join him tomorrow for breakfast, and get to know him a bit more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then, he’ll go from there with his next idea. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Though hopefully, breakfast will go well enough for the both of them.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>- A yosei is a term synonymous with the word "fairy"; yes, I made Orihime a fairy because it totally suits her, honestly. This word also refers to spirits from Western folklore, but can also be used to refer to a creature from Japanese folklore.</p><p>- A kodama is a tree spirit in Japanese folklore, kind of like the dryads of Greek mythology. It's said that if one attempts to cut down a kodama's tree, they would become cursed.</p><p>Please let me know how I did, and have a good one!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Morning Light</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Renji has breakfast with Byakuya, who continues to consider various activities to earn his trust. Meanwhile, Renji trains his warriors in the dojo of Kizokugai.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Here's Chapter 4, where we'll see our boys beginning to get to know one another a bit more ;) Plus, we get an insight into the friendship between Renji and Komamura.</p><p>I hope you enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Evening brings yet another sky painted with orange and magenta as all the residents of Ashihara begin to return home for the night or head out to various izakaya and other nightly entertainment places.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji can’t help admiring the colours of the sky as he sits in the dining room of the guesthouse, eating dinner with Komamura and the other warriors as the shoji door remains open to display a lovely view of the gardens and the sky. Something about those beautiful and fiery colours brings a sense of peace within him, to be honest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shortly after the outing with Shiba Kaien in the afternoon, Renji had informed the rest of the okami about his decision to aid the four clans in the fight against the oni, as well as the deal he’d made with them. As he’d expected, the reactions to his decision had been mixed: some of the warriors had been a little hesitant, and the others were stunned and almost upset. However, Renji had made sure to make his reasoning clear, which seems to have helped somewhat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’d then sent a Jigokucho all the way to their forest village, where he’d informed the rest of the tribe of his decision, appointed Iba as temporary leader, and ordered him to train the hunters for fighting. In addition, he had also ordered him to keep an eye out for any suspicious activity in their usual hunting grounds, and inform him of anything he finds. But for now, they have to conserve their food stores and not waste any of their kills.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For the most part, dinner is rather quiet, apart from the conversations between the other warriors. From what Renji picks up, his warriors had mainly done some exercises and meditation with Komamura for a good part of the day, all while Renji had gone out with Shiba Kaien.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um… Abarai-san?” Renji’s thoughts are interrupted by Rikichi, one of the young okami warriors, who regards him shyly as he sets down his bowl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s up?” he asks, regarding him curiously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rikichi looks a little hesitant. “I was just wondering, how was your meeting with Shiba Kaien?” he asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, it went well,” Renji says with a smile. “Shiba Kaien is pretty nice for the most part. I think you might like to meet him some day.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, that’s good to hear!” Rikichi says, smiling brightly. “I’m glad it went well for you, Abarai-san!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji can’t help but smile fondly. Rikichi has so much potential as a warrior, and he’s so bright and idealistic. He can’t wait to see what his skills will be like when his magic matures and develops.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That’s when he remembers Komamura. Considering how much the guy absolutely despises Ashihara, and how he’d looked a little upset upon being informed about his decision, he should make sure his second-in-command is doing okay right now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How do you feel about us going to work alongside the four clans?” Renji asks, glancing at Komamura.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Komamura straightens up a bit, taking a sip of tea before responding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am still a bit… hesitant,” he admits. “I understand your reasoning behind your decision, but even so… I’m afraid I’m not as trusting or open-hearted as you are, Abarai. Nevertheless, I still support your decision.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji nods, swallowing his mouthful of rice before speaking again. “Thank you, Komamura,” he says sincerely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There is no need,” Komamura says, his eyes glinting slightly. “I promised you at the start of your leadership, that I would always support your final decision, Abarai.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I remember,” Renji says with a faint smile. “And I truly appreciate it. You really are the best second-in-command that I could ask for, Komamura.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He can’t help his chuckle when he notices how Komamura just looks rather shy as his ears twitch. “You…” he mumbles. “You’re too kind.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I mean it. I chose you as my second for a good reason,” Renji reminds him. “So don’t be so shy about your abilities, Komamura. You’ve done so much for me, and I know that I can always count on you no matter what.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh, but Komamura Sajin is more than just his second-in-command. He has been like a father and a brother to him since the fateful day when the kitsune had attempted to exterminate the entire okami tribe one hundred years ago.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He still remembers that moment like it had been yesterday, in fact.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shortly after Renji had witnessed his mother get brutally killed right in front of him, he’d been too frozen in fear to even try and run. He still remembers feeling her blood all over him as he’d stared in horror at her corpse, realizing how she’d died saving him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before he’d realized what was going on, Renji had suddenly been scooped up off his feet by one of the canine okami, and they’d immediately rushed out of the hut before the kitsune could try and kill them, fleeing towards the forest like the other humanoid and canine okami.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’d later learned that the canine in question was Komamura Sajin, who had promptly declared himself as Renji’s ‘older brother’. Since then, Komamura has been like both a father and a brother as he’d raised him in the wake of their flight into Momiji no Mori.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Renji had ascended to the role of tribe leader three months ago, he’d decided to repay Komamura for everything he’s done for him by appointing him as his second-in-command. After all, without his guidance, Renji doesn’t know where he’d be today.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A soft knock on the shoji door interrupts Renji’s thoughts, prompting him and the others to turn towards it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who’s there?” Renji asks, raising an eyebrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The door slides open, and a servant bows in the doorway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Excuse me, Abarai-sama,” the servant says. “I am here with a message from Kuchiki-sama.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not even bothering to address the whole ‘-sama’ at the end of his name (he’d given up on trying to get the servants not to address him as that), Renji just nods in acknowledgement. “What does he want?” he asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The servant looks up. “Kuchiki-sama wishes for you to have breakfast with him tomorrow morning,” he says. “He says that you are to meet him in the dining room of the main manor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji blinks, surprised. “Wait… really?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course,” the servant says, rising to his feet. “He also told me to tell you that he looks forward to seeing you tomorrow.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Again, it takes a moment for the information to register, but nevertheless, Renji agrees to the invitation. “Well, er… tell His Lordship that I look forward to meeting him for breakfast!” he says, flustered. “Thank you again!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Very well. I shall inform him at once.” And with that, the servant slides the door closed and departs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji still can’t really believe what he’s just heard. Did he really just get invited for breakfast with Kuchiki Byakuya, the Lord of the Tengu Clan himself?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even more, he can’t really believe he’s accepted the invitation as well. And it seems like neither can Komamura or the other warriors.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why did you accept his invitation, Abarai?” Komamura asks, looking at him in disbelief.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji just sighs quietly. “I’ll admit, a part of me does want to try and mend fences with the other clans,” he explains. “I know a lot of you have mixed feelings about it, but I think it’s possible to restore things between us, honestly. And I… I think if we do this, it can help us further that process.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Komamura looks a little thoughtful. “I don’t think I’ll understand how your mind works,” he sighs. “Like I said before, I’m not as forgiving as you are, Abarai, but I will support your decision. I just hope you don’t get taken advantage of in any way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hope so too,” Renji says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, his ears twitch as he picks up on a strange sound from the gardens, making him pause as he listens carefully to what sounds like branches snapping and the rustling of leaves.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shhh!” Renji whispers, halting all conversations. “Do you hear that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The okami warriors glance outside, their ears also twitching as they pick up on the sounds as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Could it be an animal?” Rikichi wonders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji frowns as he gets up and carefully steps outside to see if anything is out there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But as quickly as it had happened, the noise stops. Nevertheless, Renji finds himself sensing a lingering trace of reiatsu, one that feels strangely familiar. In fact, it feels rather… dark.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is the same reiatsu we felt in our haunts!” one of the warriors realizes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whatever’s out there could be the thing hunting our prey!” another one says darkly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I also felt this reiatsu when I encountered the oni,” Renji adds, frowning again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Could it be… an oni?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No, it can’t be. Last time he remembers, the oni have been banished from Ashihara since ancient times for the destruction and havoc they wreaked under Shuten Douji’s rule. But then again, it could be something else with a similar kind of reiatsu.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And strangely enough, none of the guards are coming to investigate this disturbance. Which means that this creature is concealing its reiatsu to avoid detection; a futile effort when an okami is concerned, since their senses are much sharper than any other youkai.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eventually, the trace of reiatsu vanishes, and so do the strange noises.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What should we do?” Komamura asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t tell anyone else about it,” Renji orders. “We don’t want to spread panic. I’ll inform Kuchiki Byakuya about a potential intruder, and make sure that he raises security. And we should also keep a lookout wherever we go in Ashihara to see if we can detect any more of that reiatsu. But for now, we need to focus on training tomorrow.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Komamura nods. “Alright,” he says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But as they resume discussion about their training, Renji can’t help but feel a little bit uneasy about this sudden occurrence.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t think about it.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He tells himself. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Focus on the training right now.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>But even so, he can’t help how concerned he feels about whatever it is that’s lurking out there.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>The next morning arrives, and Renji dresses himself for the day in his usual karusan-bakama and fur stole. And as always, his feet remain bare like how they have since his childhood days. The only thing he doesn’t do is tie his hair up. He’ll tie it up once he’s finished with breakfast, so he lets it flow freely past his shoulders and down his back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji is then escorted to the main manor by a servant, who also leads him to the dining room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the shoji door slides open, he takes a look at the room and admires it for a moment. The walls are fusuma panels decorated with a painting of a beautiful sakura tree before a lake, and the shoji door on the opposite side is opened just a crack, letting in a stream of morning light that highlights the beauty of the panels.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That’s when he sees Byakuya kneeling in seiza on the tatami floors at the table. In fact, Byakuya himself is missing some of the more elaborate parts of his ensemble, such as the sakura haori and the white yuigesa, as well as his staff and veiled headdress. His mask rests against his front, and his eyes look rather calm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For a moment, Renji is frozen in place as he admires how beautiful Byakuya looks in the morning light. And the way the light hits on those beautiful iridescent wings folded against his back, making them shimmer in purple and green… it’s truly a sight to behold.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Upon seeing Renji, Byakuya nods in greeting. “Come, sit,” he says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji enters the room and sits cross-legged before the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Breakfast should be here soon,” Byakuya tells him, picking up the teapot and elegantly pouring a glass of tea. “In the meantime, have some tea.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” Renji says, wondering why Byakuya chose to pour tea for him instead of having a servant do it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he takes a sip, the shoji door slides open again as another servant comes by with the breakfast dishes. There’s steamed rice, bowls of miso soup, umeboshi, grilled fish, and bowls of raw egg and nori for tamago kake gohan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just like yesterday, Renji opts to eat only rice and fish, which seems to get Byakuya’s attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why do you not eat the miso or umeboshi?” Byakuya asks. “You and your warriors only eat the rice and fish, and always leave the other courses. I just want to know why.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji pauses, setting down the bowl and chopsticks as he blushes slightly. “Well, we’re all used to more simpler meals,” he explains. “We’ve never had things like umeboshi, miso, or tamago kake gohan.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I see,” Byakuya says, taking a sip of tea. “How was your outing with Shiba Kaien yesterday?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It went pretty well, I guess,” Renji says honestly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They continue to eat in silence for a little while before Byakuya speaks again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve noticed that you and that Komamura Sajin seem rather close,” he observes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji smiles faintly as he nods. “Komamura… he’s like both a father and a brother to me,” he says. “He raised me as if he was my own brother since we all fled into Momiji no Mori, and I owe him a lot, really. Without him, I don’t know where I would be today.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He does seem rather devoted,” Byakuya agrees, his eyes softening just a tad. “I wish I could’ve known someone like that in my childhood days.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At this, Renji can’t help the surprise he feels. “But what about your sister?” he asks. Surely he’d had some kind of relationship with her, right?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We were raised differently,” Byakuya explains. “I was raised to become the future clan head, and I didn’t get to spend much time with her. Even now, it’s still a bit difficult for me to be so familiar with her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For a moment, Renji catches a distant sadness and melancholy in Byakuya’s eyes, and he’s not sure if he actually saw it or if it’s a trick of the morning light. However, he can feel the sadness in Byakuya’s reiatsu, and he can’t help but wonder just what is causing so much grief within him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That’s when he remembers what he’d sensed last night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wanted to tell you something, Kuchiki,” he says, getting his attention. “Last night, when we were having dinner, myself and the other okami, we sensed something out in the garden. We don’t know what it was, but we picked up on a rather dark reiatsu out there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya frowns. “I didn’t sense anything,” he says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s the thing, it was concealing its reiatsu,” Renji says. “Us okami have much sharper senses, so we were able to pick up on it. It’s the same kind of reiatsu we’d detected at our usual hunting haunts in Momiji no Mori, since we’ve also been experiencing a shortage in deer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At that, Byakuya looks intrigued and mildly disturbed. “Is that so?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is. I don’t want to raise a panic anywhere, though,” Renji continues. “I just think that you should raise security, and I will also have some of my warriors do patrols with your guards as well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya nods. “Very well,” he says. “I will also inform the other clan heads about this development, and make sure they also don’t raise any alarms as well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They continue to eat breakfast in silence, which feels more comfortable than awkward now, and Renji relaxes his shoulders as he finishes up with his food.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have a personal errand to take care of today,” Byakuya informs him. “I heard that you and your warriors plan on doing some training as well. There is a dojo in Kizokugai, and you are all free to use it whenever you wish. Just make sure you clean up after yourselves when you finish.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Again, Renji looks at him in surprise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Why is Byakuya doing this? Why is he giving him permission to use these kinds of facilities?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, he just nods. “Thank you,” he says. “I’ll make sure to take care of it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I also want to thank you for joining me for breakfast,” Byakuya says, averting his eyes. “I truly appreciate it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Something about that strikes Renji as oddly… endearing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So he just gives him a brief smile. “You’re welcome,” he says. “Thank you for inviting me, Kuchiki.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shortly after that, they finish up with breakfast and part ways to get ready for the rest of the day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But as Renji heads back to the guest house, he finds himself wondering why Byakuya had invited him to have breakfast with him. For some reason, his heart starts beating a little faster as he recalls the breakfast, and he’s unable to ignore how there’s a pleasant warmth within him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s not going to lie. He actually likes this feeling right now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once he’s tied his hair up in the usual high ponytail, Renji gathers Komamura and his pack of warriors, informing them of how Byakuya has given them permission to use the dojo for their training, so long as they clean up. Then, he leads them out onto the streets of Kizokugai as they head out to the dojo.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they walk down the streets, Renji can feel the stares of other youkai on them again. But this time, he also hears a few giggles and excited whispers from some young youkai women.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why are they staring at us?” Komamura mutters.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They haven’t seen okami in some time,” Renji reasons, blushing as he smiles politely at a young woman, who then blushes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Much to his mild amusement, he notices some of the warriors blushing as they find themselves receiving attention to their bare chests. In fact, Rikichi’s face looks quite red as he smiles shyly at a pretty tengu girl, one who giggles and hides behind her fan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh my gosh, did you see the way their ears twitch?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s so cute!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can practically feel their manliness over here…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look at the tattoos on their leader! They’re so gorgeous!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And his hair is so pretty!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji blushes deeply, and that’s when he notices how Komamura receives some attention from young children, who are rather excited to see a large ‘doggy’. While Komamura looks shy over that kind of attention, Renji can’t help but find it absolutely adorable.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eventually, they manage to reach the empty dojo. It’s large and peaceful inside; a perfect place for training. While it’s not the same as a forest clearing, it looks good to use.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, everyone!” Renji says, his voice filled with authority as they enter the training space. “Get into position! Today, we’ll be practicing our martial arts, so get ready for it!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Abarai!” all the warriors say, immediately getting ready to start training.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As always, Renji is very involved with training his warriors. He encourages them, makes sure they’re doing things in the correct way, and demonstrates certain techniques for them to practice. And for him, the best part about training his warriors is when he can teach them and learn some things from them in the process.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After all, being a tribe leader isn’t just about giving orders and expecting people to obey them. It’s about working together with people, helping the community improve, and also improving yourself in the process.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And nothing makes Renji more happy than seeing his warriors improve themselves in their skills, as well as being able to learn many things from them.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>The private Kuchiki cemetery is as silent as always, further heightening the somber atmosphere that hangs over the place. Byakuya passes by the graves of his ancestors and deceased relatives in favour of heading towards one particular grave.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hisana… </span>
  </em>
  <span>He thinks to himself as he approaches the grave with flowers and incense.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya is the only one in the whole family who visits Hisana’s grave and cares for it; not that he minds, of course. This is his wife, after all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He bitterly recalls the scandal that had erupted when he’d announced his plans to have Hisana buried in the family graveyard. Even though he’d received so many angry protests from the rest of the family, he’d gone ahead and had her buried here shortly after her death.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a sigh, he tends to Hisana’s grave as always, then slowly removes his mask out of respect.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While he is always careful to wear his mask in public, the only public place he will ever remove it is before the grave of his late wife.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I… I hope you are well, Hisana,” Byakuya begins, lowering his eyes slightly. “It’s almost hard to believe that it’s been so many years since… since you passed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As always, the only other sound is that of the wind blowing through the trees.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rukia is doing fine,” he continues. “I know how you two were so fond of each other. But there’s been another development. It seems like we might be starting to rebuild ties with the okami.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pauses again before speaking. “Their leader is staying with us, along with his warriors,” he says. “I wonder what you would say if you saw all this happening?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At that, his heart hurts again. “I wish you were still here, my love,” Byakuya murmurs. “Surely you could give me some guidance in how to build trust with the Okami Leader, would you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And as he stands in the cemetery, he finds himself considering another possible place to show Renji as a way of building trust between them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The land of the former Okami Tribe village is still very much intact. Shortly after the council had discovered how the former Kitsune Leader had tricked them, they’d immediately rescinded the Kitsune Clan's rights to the area, leaving it in the same state as it had been that fateful day: ruined, half-burnt, and abandoned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No one has dared to try and destroy any of the ruins. Instead, they’ve left it intact as a reminder of what the Ruling Council’s incompetence has resulted in: the loss of one of their ruling clans, and the near-destruction of a unique culture in Ashihara.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hardly anyone ever enters that land, which has started the inevitable rumours of a curse being placed on the ruins. Of course, such rumours are completely false; the main reason why the land is intact is out of respect.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>How would Renji feel if Byakuya takes him to the village of his childhood? Could that help him reach closure of sorts?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’ll make the offer to Renji, and whether or not he accepts is all up to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a while, Byakuya decides to leave the cemetery. After bidding goodbye to Hisana’s grave, he slides the mask back over his eyes and straightens himself up before elegantly gliding out of the cemetery.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he makes his way down the streets of Kizokugai, he suddenly notices a fairly large crowd of young youkai women crowded around the entrance of the dojo from the corner of his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Frowning slightly, he turns in the direction of the dojo to see what’s going on, and that’s when he also notices Rukia standing near the entrance among the whispering and giggling women.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rukia,” he intones, getting her attention. “What is going on?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Upon noticing him, several young women bow quickly in respect.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rukia glances at him, a smile on her face. “Oh, we’re just watching the training sessions right now,” she says, turning back to the dojo. “You should join us, Nii-sama.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Training sessions?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Byakuya thinks, turning to look at whatever is going on inside-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The sight within the dojo is enough to make his mouth dry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji’s fur stole has been discarded and draped over some kind of stand, leaving his torso completely bare as he trains his warriors. Sweat slides down his bronzed, tattooed skin, plastering some loose crimson strands to his forehead, and the tattoos on his muscular arms seem to almost ripple with every movement he does.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, we’re gonna finish up now,” Renji tells them, a wolfish smile crossing his face. “The fight ends when one of you knocks off my hair tie. But don’t think I’ll be making it easy for any of you! So bring it on!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Immediately, the warriors charge at him, clearly having fun right now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Byakuya is absolutely struck by Renji himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s so involved in their training, doing everything he can to make sure his warriors are improving. He doesn’t just stand to the side and coach them; he actively involves himself in a way that doesn’t hinder them, but encourages them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And the way he fights is almost feral and very much wolf-like, but it’s all the more fascinating to watch, especially with that wolfish grin on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Something about that grin just makes his heart flutter a little, for some odd reason.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya doesn’t know how long the fight goes on for, but eventually, one of the warriors manages to knock Renji back, promptly undoing the tie in his hair and setting it free from its ponytail.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And as those long crimson tresses spill freely past his shoulders and back, Byakuya’s eyes widen slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Never before has he seen such beautiful hair in his life until now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji smiles as he raises his hands. “Good job, you guys,” he says sincerely. “You’re all getting even better, and I’ve also learned some things from you. That was a fun session.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Abarai!” all the warriors say enthusiastically as they bow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, as if sensing the collective presence of the crowd outside, Renji stiffens up and turns towards the entrance before approaching, looking completely stunned at having drawn a crowd.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“H-Hey!” he protests, blushing upon noticing Byakuya and Rukia. “What are you all doing out here?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean, when there’s a free show, we gotta enjoy it, right?” Rukia responds, smiling playfully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji blushes even more. “Well, the show’s over now!” he says, flustered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Rukia and the young women leave amidst their laughter, Byakuya remains in the entrance, watching as Renji, Komamura, and the warriors clean up the dojo.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What were you doing there, Kuchiki?” Renji asks, setting the broom down. “I thought you had your own personal errands to run.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve finished with those duties,” Byakuya tells him. “And I’d noticed the crowd around the dojo, so I was curious to see what was happening.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At that, Renji just shrugs. “Well, we were training, like you saw,” he says. “Anyways, we have to go to the sento now, so we can clean up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Before you go, there is something I wanted to tell you,” Byakuya says, stopping him in his tracks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji pauses, but looks at him curiously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, Byakuya finds himself feeling a little bit hesitant for a brief moment as he wonders just how Renji will react to this. Pushing down those nerves, he speaks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wanted to let you know that the former Okami village is still very much intact,” he says. “It has remained untouched for one hundred years. If you are interested in visiting it, then I shall take you there myself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he’d thought, Renji looks completely surprised at such information, and he doesn’t even respond.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have to make a decision immediately,” Byakuya reassures him. “Just take your time and think about it. I…” He looks down, pausing for a moment. “I was just bringing this up, because I thought that perhaps you would like some… closure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He straightens up again. “Again, you can think over this,” he reminds him. “I shall be taking my leave now. I’ll see you at the manor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that, Byakuya turns and leaves the dojo, all while wondering if he had really done the right thing just now.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I wonder what Renji's decision will be? Whatever it is, it'll happen eventually ;) And plus, we'll be meeting Rangiku in the next chapter as well.</p><p>Please let me know how I did, and have a good one!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Cave of Demons</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Renji agrees to accompany Rukia on a night-out so he can meet her friends. Meanwhile, in the depths of a cave in the mountain valley, the leader of the Oni Tribe receives news about recent events in Ashihara.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This chapter took a bit of time, but I hope it turned out well! We've got some bonding between Renji and Rukia, and we also get to meet the leader of the Oni Tribe: Grimmjow!</p><p>As a note, the teahouse in the context of this chapter refers to ochaya, or an establishment where patrons are entertained by geisha (who are entertainers, not sex workers).</p><p>I hope you all enjoy!</p><p>(P.S. For the section in Grimmjow's perspective, I recommend listening to "Oni Island" from the "Okami" video game OST)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> “I thought that perhaps you would like some… closure.” </em>
</p><p>Those words still ring in Renji’s head since he’d heard them only a couple days ago, when Byakuya had brought up the suggestion of taking him to the ruined okami village. Even now, as Renji sits in the warm waters of the sento, immersed up to his upper torso, he can’t stop thinking about it.</p><p>Why is Byakuya offering to show him the site of the former okami village? It’s so confusing, especially since he seems so unreadable. Renji can’t even decide on any possible reason as to why he’s doing this.</p><p>Honestly, he’s a little surprised to learn that the minka and nagaya houses of their former village haven’t been torn down completely and replaced with the more posher housing styles that the other clans have in their jurisdictions. Should he feel glad they haven’t completely destroyed it? Or should he be confused as to why they’d leave the ruins intact?</p><p>He really doesn’t know.</p><p>What should he do? Could seeing the site of his former home really help him attain some kind of closure? Could it really help further any efforts of reconciliation between the okami and the other clans?</p><p>Renji sighs quietly, staring at the tile mural of a mountain landscape as he wonders what to do.</p><p>After bathing in natural hot springs for so long, it feels so strange to be in an actual public bathing facility like this one. However, he’d needed a soak in the hot water after he’d met with Shihouin Yoruichi for some kind of intense speed-training session, one that has left him incredibly sore all over.</p><p>If that’s her way of trying to make amends with the okami, Renji really isn’t sure how to feel about it.</p><p>Maybe that’s why Byakuya is offering to take him there: to earn his trust.</p><p>And the fact that he himself offered to do something so very meaningful like that… perhaps he should accept it. After all, maybe it could help him finally reach some kind of closure. Maybe it could help improve relations between the okami and the tengu.</p><p>With that, Renji has made his decision. He’ll go and see the former okami village with Byakuya.</p><p>He rises out of the sento and heads to the changing rooms to dry himself off and change back into his usual clothes. Once he’s draped the fur stole over his bare shoulders and re-tied his hair into a ponytail, he heads back in the direction of the Kuchiki Manor.</p><p>When he arrives at the manor complex, however, Renji finds himself being greeted by Rukia herself, who appears to have been waiting for him by the karamon. Upon seeing him, she smiles serenely.</p><p>“Welcome back,” she greets. “I hope your training session with Shihouin-sama went well.”</p><p>“I… I guess it did?” Renji says, his response more of a question.</p><p>Rukia chuckles. “She can be a bit demanding in her training, yes,” she agrees. “Anyways, I’ve been waiting for you. Would you like to join me on a walk in the gardens?”</p><p>While Renji is a little surprised at her sudden request, he knows he can’t really turn it down. Sure, Rukia might be pretty friendly and reasonable, but she’s still a member of the high-ranking Kuchiki family that rules over the Tengu Clan. More specifically, she’s the clan head’s younger sister. To turn down her request would be extremely rude.</p><p>Besides, it’s not like Renji hates Rukia. She’s sincere and kind and pretty down-to-earth for the most part. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to make friends with her.</p><p>“I guess it doesn’t sound too bad,” Renji says with a hesitant smile.</p><p>Rukia smiles at that. “Then come with me,” she encourages. “The gardens are this way.”</p><p>Renji follows her as they make their way around the manor and to the beautiful, peaceful gardens themselves, all while she explains the aesthetics behind them.</p><p>A large stream snakes through the garden, and Renji notices several koi fish swimming beneath the surface, right near a waterfall area. There are large stones placed in aesthetic spots, and the sharp ‘thunk’ sound of a shishi-odoshi echoes through the place every now and then. Arched over the stream is a wooden bridge that connects to another part that has a willow tree over the water.</p><p>As for the plants, there are cypress, maple, and pine trees, as well as sakura and ume trees. Also decorating the gardens are several flowering shrubs of white camellias, pink azaleas, and lilac rhododendrons, their sweet fragrances drifting in the air.</p><p>Renji has to admit, these gardens are very beautiful to look at and be in, especially all the beautiful colours from the flowers.</p><p>After a while of walking, they eventually end up seated beneath the willow tree as they talk about mundane things.</p><p>“How has your training been going?” Rukia asks. “I know you and your warriors train very hard almost every day.”</p><p>“It’s been going alright,” Renji says, shrugging slightly. “I might take them to the river within Momiji no Mori so they can practice their endurance. But for now, they’re doing pretty well with other exercises.”</p><p>“I must say, watching you all train is very entertaining for some of the ladies of Kizokugai,” Rukia says with a ladylike chuckle.</p><p>Yet again, Renji finds himself feeling a bit more flustered. “So I’ve noticed…” he mumbles.</p><p>“Tell me, which part of the gardens do you like the most?” Rukia asks him.</p><p>“To be honest, I have to say the stream, the pond, and the waterfall,” Renji admits. “It kind of reminds me of the river and waterfall plunge pool near our village. I mean, I know this waterfall is a lot smaller than that one, but it’s still quite nice.”</p><p>Rukia smiles at that. “Funny you say that,” she says. “The stream and waterfall were my sister-in-law’s favourite part of the gardens.”</p><p>Renji blinks in mild surprise. So Kuchiki Byakuya is a married man?</p><p>“I never knew your brother was married,” he says casually.</p><p>At that, Rukia sighs quietly. “Yes, he was,” she says. “And it had been for quite a short time, too. But his marriage created such a huge scandal among the elders of the Tengu Clan because he fell in love with a yuki onna who worked as an oiran.”</p><p>Yet again, Renji finds himself looking at her in surprise.</p><p><em> He married a yuki onna? One that had been an oiran? </em> Well, that definitely changes a lot of what he’d initially thought about Byakuya.</p><p>“What was she like?” he asks.</p><p>“Her name was Hisana,” Rukia recalls, her eyes softening, “and Nii-sama had been deeply in love with her. Even though she was an oiran from poverty, she had been as graceful as a noble, and quite charming and witty as well. I really liked spending time with her shortly after they married.”</p><p>Renji nods slowly as he listens to her.</p><p>“Sadly, they only spent a few years together before Hisana fell ill and passed away,” Rukia concludes, her voice becoming more somber. “And her death and funeral caused even more of a scandal when Nii-sama decided to have her interred in the clan cemetery. Honestly, you’d think the elders would be more respectful of his wishes, but no, they couldn’t even show him any of that!”</p><p>However, Renji finds himself staying silent as he recalls that moment from their breakfast together a couple days ago, when he’d gotten a glimpse of loneliness in Byakuya’s eyes.</p><p>“Sounds like he loved her a lot if he was willing to put up with clan elders,” Renji remarks.</p><p>“Oh, he loved her dearly,” Rukia agrees. “She was one of the few people whom he willingly removed his mask for. Considering the amount of pressure that Nii-sama grew up with, it’s easy to see why he fell in love with her.”</p><p><em> Because she saw past that mask. </em> Renji thinks, all while reflecting on how he’s had it much easier growing up.</p><p>Yes, he’d grown up rather poor even before the slaughter took place, and then he’d spent another good part of his life in the forest, but he isn’t lonely at all. He’s fortunate to have good friends like Komamura, Iba, and his band of warriors. He’s fortunate to be able to make his own choices instead of having them controlled by an outside force.</p><p>And while he might not have grown up wealthy like Byakuya, is a life of luxury really worth it if it means you are trapped in a cage for most of your life?</p><p>Definitely not, Renji decides.</p><p>Silence hangs in the air between them, and Renji takes a look at the starry night sky. It’s almost hard to believe that night has come so quickly already, but it seems like time has flown fast during their conversation.</p><p>“Abarai-kun,” Rukia says, interrupting his thoughts.</p><p>“Yeah?” Renji glances at her.</p><p>Surprisingly, Rukia looks rather shy right now. “I have some friends who are interested in meeting you,” she tells him. “We’re planning on having a get-together at a teahouse in two days. Would you like to join us so you can meet them?”</p><p>Renji looks down as he considers this.</p><p>He’s already been a little bit shy and hesitant about meeting other youkai, but even so, it sounds like it would be nice to meet some new people.</p><p>And it would definitely help in mending fences with all of Ashihara as well.</p><p>With that, he nods. “Sure, why not?” he says. “I wouldn’t mind meeting your friends.”</p><p>A warm smile crosses Rukia’s face. “Thank you, Abarai-kun,” she says genuinely. “It means a lot to me.”</p><p>They talk for a little bit longer before deciding to head inside and retire for the night. However, instead of leaving for the guest house, Renji heads to the main manor so he can inform Byakuya about his decision to see the former village.</p><p>However, as he nears the shoji doors, he feels his nape prickling slightly, almost as if something or someone is watching him.</p><p>But there shouldn’t be anyone in the complex. Per his recommendation, Byakuya has increased security around the walls and the karamon, so why does it feel like there’s someone watching him?</p><p>Renji tries to shake off this uneasy feeling, but he can’t help how tense his shoulders are as he enters the manor.</p><hr/><p>Deep in the mountain valley above Momiji no Mori, there lies a dark cave near one of the most treacherous mountain pathways. And deep within the cave, the collective reiatsu of the dark and vicious oni hangs thick in the air, strong enough to overwhelm and suffocate any foolish intruder that comes near.</p><p>Snarls and growls of the oni drift through the air as they fervently watch a rough brawl on the very top of a rock that towers over the cave floor. Hideous, sadistic sneers cross their faces as they cheer on the fight, their hideous laughter echoing throughout the cave.</p><p>And upon the rock that towers over the cave floor, several oni engage in a rough brawl against none other than Grimmjow, the leader of the Oni Tribe himself.</p><p>Dressed in a deep-blue karusan-bakama with a black and blue pelt draped over his left shoulder, Grimmjow’s electric-blue hair stands out in the dim glow of the fire that lights up the dark cave. Resting on his bare chest are blue and turquoise beaded necklaces, and his face is painted with blue markings that highlight horns of a bluish-purple colour. And with two large clawed, blue hands that hover near him and only move whenever he attacks, Grimmjow is the fiercest oni of his current generation.</p><p>His eyes, coloured an equally electric blue, are wild and frenzy as adrenaline surges through his veins. As he swipes his clawed hands at his opponents, the large hands mimic the motion, sending several of them flying off the rock.</p><p>Below, the oni cheer wildly, and Grimmjow licks his lips as he bares his fangs at the remaining opponents.</p><p>Nothing gets Grimmjow’s blood rushing like a good fight. Regardless of who his opponent is, whether they’re a fellow oni or a different youkai, he lives to fight anyone who challenges him.</p><p>The oni charges at him with a growl, baring his fangs as he raises his spiked club.</p><p>A feral grin crosses Grimmjow’s face, and he charges back, swiping one of his large hands at his opponent, swiftly knocking him off the rock and to the crowd below.</p><p>Loud, feral cheers ring throughout the cave, and Grimmjow lets out a triumphant, maniacal laugh.</p><p>“That’s right! No one can defeat me!” he declares with a grin. “I am the Oni King!”</p><p>“As expected of Grimmjow-sama!” Yylfordt, his second-in-command, agrees with an equally malicious smile. </p><p>“Of course, that’s not ta say they can’t try,” Grimmjow laughs. “Now… who wants ta fight me next?”</p><p>Another foolish oni climbs up the rock with a snarl, and Grimmjow grins as he gets ready to fight.</p><p>Internally, however, Grimmjow has grown a little bored of fighting against his fellow oni. He finds it way too easy to defeat them, and even the strongest warrior won’t even dare to take him on. And it’s not like he can fight any other youkai, since they all stay well away from oni territory.</p><p>The only other youkai tribe near theirs is the Okami Tribe in Momiji no Mori, but they stick to themselves and hardly ever venture out beyond their territory.</p><p>And speaking of the Okami Tribe…</p><p>Grimmjow has started to hear strange rumours. Apparently, after one hundred years of self-imposed isolation from the capital, the current okami leader has agreed to work with the four ruling clans of Ashihara in fighting against him and the oni.</p><p>It sounds ridiculous, honestly. It’s not like Grimmjow hasn’t heard about the horrific massacre against the okami, and it’s all the more baffling as to why they’d want to work together with a bunch of hypocritical bastards.</p><p>Which is why he’s sent his advisor Shawlong to Ashihara to verify this for him. Of course, he’d made sure that he concealed his reiatsu, and he should be back soon enough. Whatever is going on, Grimmjow needs to make sure this isn’t going to mess with his plans for invasion on Hyakki Yagyo.</p><p>But speak of the devil, just as the fight is starting to get interesting, Grimmjow senses Shawlong’s reiatsu right then.</p><p>“Enough! The fight ends here!” Grimmjow barks. “Shawlong has returned.”</p><p>He jumps down from the rock as the oni clear the way to allow Shawlong to approach him.</p><p>Shawlong bows to him in greeting. “I’ve returned, Grimmjow-sama,” he says, straightening up.</p><p>“I can see that,” Grimmjow retorts. “Well? You got any news about these rumours?”</p><p>That’s when he notices the slight glint in Shawlong’s eyes.</p><p>“As a matter of fact, yes,” he says. “And it’s safe to say that these rumours are indeed true.”</p><p><em> You gotta be kidding me… </em>Grimmjow can’t believe what he’s hearing.</p><p>Seeing the surprise on his face, Shawlong continues. “The current leader of the Okami Tribe, a young one by the name of Abarai Renji, has agreed to help the ruling clans in fighting against us on Hyakki Yagyo, on the condition that they all work to regain his trust again. But they’ve also heightened security after the okami sensed us, and are training hard to fight.”</p><p>Grimmjow narrows his eyes. “I thought I told you to keep your reiatsu hidden,” he growls.</p><p>“I did,” Shawlong says calmly. “However, the okami have sharper senses than any other youkai. They can sense the reiatsu of others even when they’ve kept it hidden.”</p><p>So it is true. The okami are now working alongside the clans that betrayed them one hundred years ago.</p><p>Grimmjow can’t help it. He starts to laugh.</p><p>“I can’t believe it!” he says through his maniacal laughter. “After being betrayed one hundred years ago, those dumbass okami are actually helping out their betrayers!”</p><p>Shawlong raises an eyebrow as his eyes glint cruelly. “And if it’s of any importance… their village is left in the care of a temporary leader,” he says. “Abarai Renji, his second-in-command, and several of their warriors are in Ashihara right now. Wouldn’t this be a great opportunity, Grimmjow-sama?”</p><p>Grimmjow glares at him, his lips curling into a snarl as he raises his reiatsu threateningly. “I thought we went over this, Shawlong,” he says darkly. “We are not to enter okami territory, no matter what. That’s their land, and if I catch any one of you bastards hunting over there, I’ll tear you apart with my bare hands.”</p><p>While he might be wild and vicious like any other oni, Grimmjow still has a code of honour. Even so, some of the oni are too feral to understand that honour, and if it weren’t for Grimmjow’s threatening reiatsu, they would’ve done their own thing a long long time ago.</p><p>However, Grimmjow has recently learned that some of the oni have actually gone into okami territory and have been hunting down their prey. Perhaps now is the best time to make an example of them.</p><p>He glares at five oni standing on his left. “All five of you! Come here right now!” he snarls.</p><p>The five oni stare in shock, slowly approaching him while trembling in fear.</p><p>Grimmjow steps forward and inhales their scent. Amidst their natural scent of blood, he picks up on the scent of the maple trees of Momiji no Mori.</p><p>His eyes narrow. “Have you been going into okami territory?” he demands. “Don’t even think about lying to me. I can smell it on you.”</p><p>None of them even try to lie. Instead, they nod shakily.</p><p>With a snarl, Grimmjow swipes his hand at them, making one of his large hands strike them directly. One swipe of the claws, and all that remains of those oni are giant splatters of blood on the ground.</p><p>“See this?!” Grimmjow snarls, glaring at all the shocked oni. “This is what happens when you break the rules about the okami! If I catch any of you bastards going into okami territory behind my back, I’ll do a lot worse than this!”</p><p>None of the oni protest. Instead, they all bow in agreement.</p><p>“Tomorrow, we’ll start preparations for the invasion!” Grimmjow barks. “Yylfordt, bring me someone to fight right now!”</p><p>As Yylfordt goes searching for an opponent, Grimmjow finds his mind wandering to Abarai Renji, the leader of the Okami Tribe.</p><p>From what he knows right now, he seems like a good leader. But what is he like as a fighter?</p><p><em> This Abarai Renji had better be a good fighter… </em>Grimmjow thinks to himself.</p><p>Soon. Hyakki Yagyo will be here very soon. And then, he’ll make all of Ashihara pay for their actions against his ancestors during the ancient times.</p><hr/><p>A couple more days have passed since Renji has agreed to accompany Rukia for a night out to meet her friends. He’s also managed to convince Komamura to come to the teahouse as well, reasoning that it would be good for his second to also meet some new people, which he’s reluctantly agreed to,</p><p>Somehow, Rukia has also managed to convince Byakuya to come on the night out as well. According to her, Byakuya hardly ever spends time outside of training or practicing his calligraphy in the office, and it would mean the world to her if he comes to the teahouse tonight.</p><p>For some reason, Renji finds it slightly amusing how Byakuya is unable to resist Rukia’s pleas.</p><p>Currently, the four of them walk down the streets to the teahouse in question, the Kuchiki siblings wearing their red masks over their eyes. While Renji has managed to be relaxed for the most part, Komamura looks a little bit tense right now.</p><p>“Just stay calm, Komamura,” Renji encourages. “I’m sure everything will be fine.”</p><p>“I’ve never been to a teahouse before,” Komamura mutters. “I’m sure they won’t even let me in.”</p><p>“Well, I’ll make sure they will. You’re my second, and I won’t let you be left out, alright?”</p><p>At last, they finally reach the teahouse in question. It’s a fairly large building designed to protect the privacy of its patrons, and a red noren curtain hangs in the entrance.</p><p>Renji raises an eyebrow. “Nice place,” he remarks.</p><p>“This is the most high-end establishment in this neighbourhood,” Byakuya explains. “You can also be entertained by the odoriko, dancers exclusive to these kinds of establishments.”</p><p>“One of my friends is an odoriko,” Rukia says with a smile. “She’ll be performing tonight.”</p><p>An attendant invites them in, while looking a little intimidated by Renji and Komamura.</p><p>When they enter the teahouse, Renji can’t help but look around in fascination at the interiors.</p><p>There are red lacquered chabudai tables on tatami mats, with red zabuton cushions at each one. Outside, within the walls of the complex, is a lovely garden that evokes a peaceful atmosphere for those who want a moment of quiet.</p><p>Various patrons sit at the chabudai tables, eating food and drinking sake, all while engaging in conversations either amongst themselves or with some youkai geisha. At the same time, several odoriko dance and perform with instruments or use their own magical abilities.</p><p>It’s a pretty impressive place, Renji has to admit.</p><p>“Right this way,” Rukia says, leading them to several chabudai tables joined together.</p><p>At the tables, Renji notices a yosei with glittering wings and long auburn hair, a kodama with spiky orange hair, and a rather voluptuous hone-onna.</p><p>For some reason, the hone-onna gets his attention the most. She has long, strawberry-blonde hair pinned up in an elaborate hairstyle and adorned with bone kanzashi. Adorning her back is some kind of skeletal decoration, and she wears a dark purple yukata with peony patterns, along with a violet peony sash, and a purple obi with peonies adorning it. In her hands, she holds a pink peony lantern, and she has a mischievous smile on her face as she talks with the others at the table.</p><p>But sitting right next to her is none other than Ichimaru, along with what looks like a second-in-command, and Renji feels himself tensing up as they approach the tables.</p><p>Right then, the hone-onna looks up in pleasant surprise. “Ah, Rukia! You’re here at last! Nice to see your brother here for once!” she greets. Her eyes land on Renji, and a sly smile crosses her face as she eyes him appreciatively. “And it seems like you’ve brought company with you.”</p><p>Much to Renji’s dismay, his cheeks grow warm and he averts his eyes momentarily. “Abarai Renji, leader of the Okami Tribe,” he introduces himself, then gestures to Komamura. “And this is my second-in-command, Komamura Sajin.”</p><p>“Matsumoto Rangiku,” the hone-onna introduces herself with a coquettish smile. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Abarai-san.”</p><p>Again, Renji flusters as he and the others take their seats, with himself sitting between Komamura and Byakuya, and across from Ichimaru and Matsumoto. <em> Well… she’s definitely bold, isn’t she? </em></p><p>He’s no stranger to flirtation; he’s received a lot of flirty smiles and attention from the young okami women in the village. But they’d been shy and coy; definitely not bold like those of Matsumoto.</p><p>Renji also gets to know the other occupants: the yosei is Inoue Orihime, an odoriko of this particular teahouse, and the kodama is Kurosaki Ichigo, her childhood friend and an apothecary. As for the guy with Ichimaru, that is none other than Yamada Seinosuke, his retainer.</p><p>“You know, we’ve heard all about you, Abarai-san,” Matsumoto tells him, sipping her sake. “And I must say, the rumours about you are an understatement. You’re even more gorgeous than they say you are.”</p><p><em> Wait, what?! </em> Renji blushes at that, and for a moment, he’s at a loss for words.</p><p>“O-Oi, Matsumoto!” Rukia says, looking scandalized as she removes her eye mask. “Don’t embarrass him!”</p><p>Oddly enough, Byakuya keeps his mask on.</p><p>“So, Abarai-kun… I didn’t think I’d see you here,” Ichimaru says, still smiling in that weird way.</p><p>Renji shrugs, taking a sip of his sake. “I thought it would be nice to meet the lady’s friends,” he simply says. “But what about you?”</p><p>“Well, Rangiku here is my longtime friend,” Ichimaru says. “I can never say no to her.”</p><p>Seinosuke’s voice cuts in.</p><p>“I thought you okami always kept to yourselves?” Seinosuke asks, regarding Renji in a very disdainful manner. “In fact, you and your second look very out of place here.”</p><p>A snarl rumbles low in Komamura’s throat, but Renji puts his hand over Komamura’s paw to calm him.</p><p>“I heard that you are supposed to perform tonight, Inoue-san,” Byakuya says, changing the subject quickly.</p><p>Inoue nods with a smile. “Of course, Kuchiki-sama,” she says. “It’s not yet time, so I’m just mingling with the customers right now.”</p><p>“More like mingling exclusively with us,” Kurosaki gently teases her.</p><p>Inoue blushes slightly, and she clears her throat before smiling at Renji. “So! How do you like Ashihara, Abarai-kun?” she asks.</p><p>“I suppose it’s alright,” Renji admits. “It’s different from our village Momiji no Mori.”</p><p>“What’s it like there?” Kurosaki asks, looking interested. “Is it true that the leaves can shine like gold in the sunlight?”</p><p>At that, Renji can’t help but smile. “Oh, it’s more than just that,” he says. “The leaves can look like fire itself. It’s truly beautiful to look at in the sunlight.”</p><p>Kurosaki and Inoue are not too bad, he supposes. They seem pretty friendly and good-hearted for the most part, and he can’t help but soften up a little.</p><p>“I must say, I love your ink,” Matsumoto says sincerely, albeit teasingly as well. “It goes well with your hair.”</p><p>Renji blushes again, and he shyly rubs the back of his neck. “Well, thanks…” he says.</p><p>He really hasn’t expected his chest, tattoos, or hair to become such a keen interest among the youkai women, especially since it’s tradition among the okami men to be shirtless. That doesn’t mean Renji’s going to cover up his chest, though. It would be much too weird to have fabric rubbing against his skin and besides, it’s much more freeing to be shirtless.</p><p>For the most part, conversations are pretty pleasant. Renji finds himself warming up to Kurosaki and Inoue, and even to Matsumoto. Despite how boldly she teases him, she’s got a friendly, almost sisterly kind of personality to her. Plus, she’s also quite a sight for sore eyes.</p><p>In fact, even Komamura is slowly starting to warm up to the others, especially when he sees that people aren’t afraid of him.</p><p>However, if there’s one thing that spoils the whole mood, it’s Yamada Seinosuke.</p><p>The guy looks absolutely insufferable, and Renji hates the way his eyes regard him with so much scorn. It’s as if he thinks he’s better than him or something.</p><p>Guys like that… god, Renji hates them the most.</p><p>“So, Abarai-kun…” Matsumoto looks surprisingly hesitant now. “How do you feel about helping us in spite of… you know?”</p><p>Renji tenses up slightly. <em> I should’ve seen this coming…  </em></p><p>He should’ve known that someone would inevitably bring up the slaughter to talk about.</p><p>“It’s a bit… strange,” he responds, trying to keep his answer neutral. “Which is why I want the other clans to earn our trust as well.”</p><p>“It’s too bad, really,” Ichimaru comments. “Thanks to our ancestors, you guys can hardly trust us.”</p><p>Renji nods grimly. “And it’s too bad that your ancestors decided to mercilessly slaughter us for the sake of taking our land,” he retorts.</p><p>“Holy shit, are you still going on about that?” Seinosuke demands rudely.</p><p>Somehow, it’s as if silence falls over their table as everyone turns to him in surprise.</p><p>Renji looks at him sharply. <em> What did this guy just say? </em></p><p>“What was that?” he asks coolly.</p><p>“You heard me,” Seinosuke says mockingly. “It’s been one hundred years, and you okami are still hung up on something that our generation didn’t even do! Why don’t you just get over it?”</p><p>Oh, this motherfucker… he did <em> not </em> just say that.</p><p>“What the hell, man?!” Kurosaki demands, stunned.</p><p>Ichimaru doesn’t say anything, perhaps too surprised to even try.</p><p>A loud growl escapes from Komamura, and a tense silence falls over the whole teahouse as all the patrons and geisha turn to their table in surprise and curiosity.</p><p>Renji’s hands tremble in anger, but he tries to stay calm as he glares at Seinosuke. He doesn’t even care that they’ve managed to attract attention.</p><p>“‘Get over it’? Are you fucking kidding me?” he repeats.</p><p>“Abarai…” Byakuya tries to warn, but Renji is too angry to even listen.</p><p>“You wanna take that back, you bastard?” he snarls, his temper wearing thin as he notices how disdainful and mocking Seinosuke looks.</p><p>“Typical,” Seinosuke scoffs cruelly. “Always quick to anger, always responding with nothing but threats. You okami really are the same. Nothing but pathetic savages that don’t know how to get over the past. No wonder our ancestors decided to kill you! You’re as disgraceful as the Oni Tribe; in fact, our ancestors’ biggest mistake was not finishing the job one hundred years ago!”</p><p><em> Oh, that is </em> <b> <em>it.</em> </b></p><p>In a flash, Renji’s fist slams right into Seinosuke’s face, hard enough for him to feel the bones in his nose shatter.</p><p>Gasps and horrified cries ring through the teahouse, and Seinosuke just looks stunned as blood gushes from his nose and stains his face and kimono.</p><p>Ignoring the shocked silence and everyone’s stunned gazes on him, Renji pulls back his bloody fist and stands up, his hands still trembling with anger and disgust over Seinosuke’s words.</p><p>How dare he. How <em> dare he </em>mock him for his trauma and grief.</p><p>“You filthy dog!” Seinosuke screeches, covering his bleeding nose. “You’ve ruined my kimono!”</p><p>“Oh, get over it, dipshit,” Renji mocks, flaring his reiatsu slightly.</p><p>With that, he storms out of the teahouse.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I have to admit, writing out that punch was rather cathartic, considering what I had Seinosuke say. </p><p>As a note, minka houses were the houses of farmers, artisans, and merchants; the three non-samurai castes. Nagaya houses are known as "row" houses, which makes them a shared housing unit. They existed during the Edo period of Japan.</p><p>A sento is a public bathhouse in Japan. </p><p>Please let me know how I did, and have a good one!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Suppressed Grief</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Despite how the situation had escalated, the night at the teahouse ends well for the most part, and the next day, Renji allows Byakuya to show him the former district of the Okami Tribe.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This chapter is going to be a bit more emotional towards the end, but I hope I managed to pull it off well-enough.</p><p>I hope you all enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Byakuya cannot believe the absolute </span>
  <em>
    <span>bullshit</span>
  </em>
  <span> that Yamada Seinosuke had ranted about, that he’d been forced to listen to. In fact, he’d been unable to say anything because he’d been too shocked to even try.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And he’d hardly expected Seinosuke to even rant about that. Yes, the man seemed rather arrogant, despite being the retainer for Ichimaru, but Byakuya had never thought that he’d have such vile, disgusting, outrageous views about the okami. And certainly he should’ve been smart </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> to say such disgusting things in front of Renji himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neither did Ichimaru, it appears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ichimaru-sama!” Seinosuke protests, angrily wiping away the heavy flow of blood. “Can you believe that barbarian?! He just broke my nose! You should go after him and teach him a lesson about being so savage!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That’s when Ichimaru opens his eyes, revealing pupils of a spring-blue colour as he glowers at his retainer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Leave. Right now,” he orders darkly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seinosuke looks at him in surprise. “What?!” he demands. “What are you saying?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have disgraced me, Seinosuke,” Ichimaru tells him sharply. “You should be ashamed of yourself for such behaviour.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, you know exactly how I feel about the okami and how you’re all trying to kiss their asses over something that happened one hundred years ago!” Seinosuke snaps.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now, Byakuya can’t stay silent any longer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While his eyes are hidden by his mask, he flares his reiatsu angrily as he glares at Seinosuke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What you did was absolutely shameful,” he says coldly. “How dare you speak to the okami leader like that? It’s completely unacceptable.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the hell is wrong with you, Yamada Seinosuke?!” Rukia demands heatedly. “We’re trying to make amends with the Okami Tribe and you’re screwing everything up right now! Why can’t you be more like your brother?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d rather die than even go anywhere near those filthy mutts!” Seinosuke snarls.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You shut your mouth or I’ll tear your throat out, you piece of-!” Komamura growls.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please, stop!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Surprisingly, Inoue’s distressed plea manages to cut through the mounting tension among the table, and everyone turns to look at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Inoue looks quite agitated, her eyes filled with worry and concern. “I don’t want any of you to get kicked out of the teahouse,” she pleads. “Your reiatsu is becoming too stifling, and it could hurt someone here!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya slowly comes down from his stern anger, realizing that she’s right. If they keep this up, they could all get kicked out. In fact, it’s a miracle that the teahouse owner hasn’t even come up to their table to see what’s going on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s right,” Kurosaki agrees. “Things already escalated a little when that Abarai guy decked Yamada Seinosuke in the nose. You really want to escalate things even more?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gradually, the tension that hangs over the table starts to dissipate as everyone lets Kurosaki and Inoue’s words sink in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Leave it to these two innocent youkai to come up with an actual solution that serves to de-escalate the situation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My most sincere apologies, Inoue-san,” Rukia says, looking a bit embarrassed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It won’t happen again,” Ichimaru promises. Then, he glares at Seinosuke. “What you did was utterly appalling, Seinosuke. In fact, it’s enough for me to decide that you shall no longer be my retainer. As of today, you are dismissed permanently from your position.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seinosuke looks completely disbelieving, but he knows better than to try and resist Ichimaru’s decree.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Get out of my sight at once,” Ichimaru dismisses him coldly. “And I don’t want to see you at the estate when I return, is that understood?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For a moment, Seinosuke remains silent as he glares at Ichimaru, but eventually, he nods curtly before getting up and leaving.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The moment he departs, it’s as if the tension completely dissipates.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya lets out a sigh as he slowly gets up. “I’m going to find Abarai and talk to him,” he says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He recalls how Renji’s reiatsu had felt when Seinosuke had made his cruel comments. Beneath the rage and disgust, Byakuya had felt a trace of pain and grief in his reiatsu. And considering how he’d thrown that punch, perhaps Byakuya should try and find him, and make sure he’s okay. Hopefully, he’s managed to calm down a bit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll come with you,” Komamura adds. “Just in case he doesn’t want to talk to you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That’s a good idea, actually. In his current state of mind, Renji might respond better to his second than he would to Byakuya.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I should come as well,” Matsumoto says, looking unusually guilty. “You know… so I can apologize for bringing up a painful topic to him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Why she’d feel at fault, Byakuya doesn’t know. It’s not like she’d goaded on Seinosuke to make those disgusting comments. Nevertheless, he doesn’t protest or tell her to stay behind. If she wants to apologize, then she’s free to do so.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The atmosphere and activity seem to return to normal as the three of them leave the teahouse and enter onto the streets. By now, the sun has gone down, and the sky is a vast, inky-blue colour, dotted with bright stars and a crescent, silver moon. And the streets themselves are much more quiet, now that night is here, and lanterns are lit everywhere. Drifting over the small canal in the middle of the streets are small glowing lanterns that float peacefully downstream.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya searches for the warm, fiery trail of Renji’s reiatsu, and follows it down the streets, his wings carrying him so that he glides gracefully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they follow the reiatsu trail, Byakuya occasionally glances at the lanterns drifting down the canal, taking note of how beautiful and peaceful they look right now. Hopefully Renji hasn’t gone too far.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Surprisingly, it doesn’t take too long to find him. After a short while, they find him standing on an arched wooden bridge, leaning on the red railing and staring down at the floating lanterns.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya slowly approaches him first, noticing how troubled his reiatsu feels.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Abarai?” he says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji sighs quietly, glancing at the three of them. “What are you doing here?” he asks wearily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We were looking for you,” Byakuya continues. “Are you alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He receives a shrug in response, followed by a sigh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think that bastard’s words got to me more than I thought,” Renji admits, shaking his head slightly as he turns to them. “Even so, I shouldn’t have punched him like that. I apologize for my actions.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You shouldn’t have to apologize,” Byakuya tells him. “I think your actions were understandable.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh, he definitely means it. Seinosuke’s words and behaviour were appalling, and Byakuya can understand why Renji didn’t even hold back on the punch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If it makes you feel better, Ichimaru has officially dismissed Seinosuke from his position,” he continues. “We’ve also made sure to apologize to the teahouse owner, so we’re still allowed to stay there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Right then, Matsumoto steps up to Renji, earning a look of surprise from him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just wanted to say that I’m sorry,” she says sincerely. “I shouldn’t have brought up such a sensitive topic, especially since things escalated so horribly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji raises an eyebrow. “I mean, it’s not your fault,” he says, a little puzzled. “I don’t think you knew that guy would be a total jackass.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, but still…” Matsumoto trails off, awkwardly placing her peony lantern on her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Abarai-kun.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s alright,” Renji reassures her. “I don’t hold anything against you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A small smile briefly crosses Renji’s face as he says that, and something about it makes Byakuya feel a bit better.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Would you like to return to the manor?” he asks. “Or do you want to come back to the teahouse?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll come back to the teahouse,” Renji decides. “I mean, that girl Inoue hasn’t danced yet, right? I’d like to at least watch a bit of it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Very well then,” Byakuya concedes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they start to head back to the teahouse, he notices Renji approach him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, Kuchiki,” he begins. “About that trip to my former village… I’d like to go there tomorrow.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya can’t help the surprise he feels as he glances at Renji, and he’s glad for the mask that covers his eyes. And while he also feels a little bit curious about this sudden development, he definitely can’t complain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of… Of course,” he says with a nod. “I shall take you there tomorrow.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you.” Renji looks a bit calmer right now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While Byakuya doesn’t know what Renji’s motives are right now, he’s a little glad that he’s trusting him to show him the former okami district of Inuzuri. Hopefully, this excursion will help him gain some closure as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Right then, Komamura approaches Renji. “You’re doing okay, right?” he asks, looking concerned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. I’m fine,” Renji reassures him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That was a nice punch you threw in that bastard’s face, Abarai,” Komamura praises him. “And good work with telling him to get over it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji smiles at that. “Well… thanks, I guess…” he mumbles dryly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Something about that smile makes Byakuya’s cheeks warm up a little bit, especially in how sincere it looks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mentally, he’s grateful that Matsumoto Rangiku cannot see him right now; knowing her, she might take the opportunity to tease him, regardless of the fact that he’s a clan head.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Rangiku can’t help the quiet sigh that slips her lips as they all head back to the teahouse, and she fiddles with her peony lantern. While they may have managed to find Abarai Renji and make sure he’s doing okay, she still feels a bit bad for what happened earlier.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh, she is all too aware of the grim history of the Okami Tribe’s slaughter and flight into Momiji no Mori one hundred years ago. And while Gin might not have taken part in the massacre, he still bears the burden of his ancestors’ crimes on his shoulders as the current clan head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All she wants to do is to help better the relations between the Okami Tribe and the Kitsune Clan. She might be a hone-onna, but thanks to her friendship with Gin, she’s managed to become pretty friendly with other kitsune as well. So anything that happens to the kitsune becomes her issue to deal with as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She recalls how Gin had told her how he wants to better things between the kitsune and the okami. He genuinely wants to, but Abarai doesn’t seem to trust him or any other kitsune right now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Perhaps if she talks to Abarai, he might be a bit more willing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, here we are again!” Rangiku says with a smile as they enter the teahouse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They quickly head down to their table, where Rukia, Gin, Orihime, and Ichigo are waiting for them, and take their seats again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re just in time!” Ichigo says with a smile. “Inoue’s about to go up there and dance!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s right!” Orihime says, picking up her fan and getting up. “Wish me luck!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good luck, Orihime! I know you’ll do great!” Rangiku cheers, reclining back in her chair and taking a long drink of sake from her cup.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By now, everyone’s attention is on Orihime as she goes to the space meant for geisha to perform their dance. She unfurls her fan and hides the lower half of her face with it while lowering her eyes demurely as she gets into position.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then, the musicians start to play a rhythmic melody while the singer starts to sing an old and traditional melody. Orihime begins to dance, her long pink butterfly-decorated kimono trailing elegantly as she keeps her expressions demure and gentle. As she dances, her wings sparkle under the soft lighting of the teahouse, fluttering slightly to incite more shimmering.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s truly a beautiful sight, and one of the reasons why Orihime has become one of the best odoriko in all of Ashihara, if not all of Spirit Society.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rangiku smiles softly as she notices how mesmerized Ichigo looks. His cheeks have a faint red tint to them, and she chuckles under her breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Honestly, those two need to hurry up and get together already. They’re already very adorable together, so hopefully they’ll figure it out sooner.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abarai himself also looks rather intrigued by the dance, especially the way Orihime moves rhythmically with her fan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then, his ears twitch slightly as he picks up on the music.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rangiku really can’t help the way her cheeks warm up at that. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh my gosh… that is absolutely adorable!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Eventually, Orihime’s first dance comes to an end, inciting polite applause as she bows with a gentle smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And that’s when Rangiku decides to use this opportunity.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Abarai-kun?” she whispers, getting his attention. “Come on a walk with me. I’d like to talk to you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite the slight frown on his face, Abarai nods.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Smiling slightly, Rangiku gets up and leads him out to the garden in the teahouse courtyard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While not as large as the gardens of Gin’s manor, this one is still quite lovely to look at. With bamboo plants, toro lanterns, small trees, and a little waterfall and koi pond, it allows a moment of calm for any customer who wants some quiet time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rangiku leans against the frame of the wide entrance, her peony lantern glowing softly in the night. Meanwhile, Abarai sits down on the step, staring out into the garden.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What did you bring me here for?” he asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just wanted to talk to you,” Rangiku says casually.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stares at her lantern with a faint smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know… Gin and I have been friends for some time now,” she says. “We go back right to our childhood. He’s always been a little bit of a trickster. But when it comes to those close to him, he cares quite deeply.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abarai frowns slightly. “Is that so?” he asks, looking a bit skeptical.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My point is, he’s not a bad guy when you get to know him,” Rangiku says gently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Again, Abarai still looks disbelieving.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure he is to you and the rest of his clan,” he says carefully. “But he and the kitsune will have to work a lot harder if they want to earn our trust. Besides, what his retainer said…” He sighs. “It said a lot about whatever mentality the Kitsune Clan has right now. Clearly most of them think they were right to kill us off, and that we should just ‘get over it’.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rangiku bites her lower lip. He has a good point, honestly. What Seinosuke said, while completely disgusting, also reveals a lot about whatever is being taught to other kitsune.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But she knows for a fact that Gin doesn’t have that kind of thinking in him. Surely he’d ensure that such a horrific mentality doesn’t get passed down to the younger generations.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know this is difficult for you, Abarai-kun,” Rangiku tells him. “But can you at least try and give Gin a chance for my sake? He’s not like Seinosuke, I can assure you that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abarai just looks a little bit conflicted before letting out a sigh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright. For your sake, I will,” he concedes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rangiku smiles. “Thank you,” she says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then, remembering the way his ears twitched as he’d watched Orihime dance, her smile becomes a bit more mischievous.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“By the way, your ears are pretty interesting,” she says coyly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abarai raises an eyebrow. “You think so?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course,” Rangiku continues. “But I love how they twitched when Orihime was dancing! It was absolutely adorable!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Immediately, Abarai’s cheeks blush bright red, and Rangiku can’t help but laugh.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, he’s just too damn cute!</span>
  </em>
  <span> She thinks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But really, for all his leadership and his gorgeously rough appearance, Abarai is no different from any young youkai man whenever they get a look at Rangiku for the first time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Abarai turns away and mumbles something under his breath, all while still blushing, Rangiku can’t stop smiling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abarai Renji, Leader of the Okami Tribe, is so much more adorable than she’d expected.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>The next day comes faster than expected, and at last, Renji will be going to see the site of Inuzuri, the former district of the Okami Tribe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His childhood home.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s a bit further away from Kizokugai, located near the forest itself, but nevertheless, he walks one step behind Byakuya as they head down the streets to the ruins of Inuzuri.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As always, Byakuya wears his mask over his eyes, and his black iridescent wings shimmer with faint hints of green and purple under the sunlight, and he can’t help but admire them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This will be my first time visiting Inuzuri itself,” Byakuya says, looking a little bit… hesitant?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji just nods. “Yeah?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just want to know what it was like.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His voice sounds quite sincere, to Renji’s surprise. Why would he want to know what Inuzuri had been like?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nevertheless, he definitely can’t deny an opportunity to tell him the stories of his childhood days. And besides, the fact that he sounds genuinely interested is strangely touching.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’d never thought this beautiful, rich, elite clan head would be interested in knowing more about his life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well…” Renji begins, briefly closing his eyes as his memories kick in. “It was a simple life, really. My mother was the one who raised me right from childhood, after my dad died. I was taught how to fight, how to cook, and because I’d chosen the artifacts that marked me as the future tribe leader, I also had to learn all the necessary traditions to uphold.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya nods slowly. “I see,” he says. “From what I’ve heard, Inuzuri has always been smaller than the other four districts. Again, I’ve never been there, but I want to know why.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean, us okami never really believed in having excessive luxuries,” Renji says with a shrug. “We’re perfectly happy to live a life closer to nature, whether it’s in Momiji no Mori, or whether it had been in Ashihara.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Compared to the simpler district and lifestyle of the okami, the Tengu, Raiju, and Bakeneko Clans have a more opulent style of living. They live in manors, have large gardens with huge bodies of water, eat only the finest of foods and wear the finest of silks. Their districts are filled with entertainment facilities like teahouses and kabuki theaters, as well as kaiseki restaurants and izakaya. And whenever festivals take place, they celebrate with grace and style.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Meanwhile, the okami live in simple houses, with the forest being their shared garden, and are content to grow, hunt, and prepare their own food. And while their clothes aren’t made from the richest of silks, the silk they use is still pretty good quality. As for entertainment, they had their own poetry and dance and martial arts forms that they would share with the other clans.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How much further are we?” Renji asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll be there soon,” Byakuya says. “Are you nervous about seeing the district?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A little bit.” Renji looks down. “I mean… this was my old childhood home.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Honestly, he just hopes he won’t have a nervous breakdown when he sees the ruins for himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gradually, he notices how the surroundings become more quiet as they near the borders of Kizokugai, and the forest also draws closer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What kind of traditions did you have to learn for becoming the leader?” Byakuya asks him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, the most important one I had to learn was how to howl in order to summon our warriors, especially the wolves who lurk in the shadows.” Renji smiles faintly to himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And sure enough, Byakuya looks at him curiously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The wolves who lurk in the shadows?” he repeats.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. We only ever bring those wolves out in battle, and they can come from any shadow in the area.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya seems rather fascinated now. “I’ve never heard of such a thing,” he says. “You really have some interesting traditions, Abarai.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, thanks…” Renji mumbles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t know why he feels so comfortable telling Byakuya about these ancient traditions. However, he feels like he can trust him right now, oddly enough.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At last, they finally reach the entrance to Inuzuri, and Renji finds himself stopping and staring at the landscape before him in amazement.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hardly anything has changed since… since it happened.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The grass has grown quite a bit now, and all the ruins are still standing. A heavy silence hangs in the air, but as he enters the ruins, Renji finds himself recalling so many memories from his childhood. He can hear children’s laughter, hear the elders telling the story of the battle against Shuten Douji, and he finds himself inhaling the fresh air as he and Byakuya enter Inuzuri.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Over half the buildings are burned, some of them charred and blackened, and others completely burned to the ground. On the ground itself, Renji sees many discarded personal items: musical instruments, writing tools, children’s toys, all among several other things.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His heart begins to ache, and Renji closes his eyes as he recalls the massacre of the okami that took place.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He can almost smell the stench of blood that had lingered in the air during the slaughter, and all the screams of his fellow okami ring in his ears. And somehow, he finds himself walking towards the half-burnt home where he and his mother had lived. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I still remember that day so clearly,” Renji whispers. Whether it’s to himself or to Byakuya, he doesn’t know.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“None of us expected it at all,” he continues. “I was about to get started on my training for leadership when I started smelling smoke and hearing screams. And then, from the window of our home, I saw a bunch of kitsune samurai chasing several of the okami, killing them with their magic. It… It was brutal.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And that’s not getting into how he’d seen some kitsune rounding up a bunch of okami inside a storehouse, then trapping them within and setting the building on fire.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>God, those agonizing screams still echo in Renji’s ears, and he couldn’t even do anything to help them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Before… Before I even knew what the fuck was happening, my mother had suddenly pulled me away from the window, saying we had to get out of there, but then-” Renji breaks off as he feels tears in his eyes, and he swallows down the lump in his throat as he tries to suppress the urge to cry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Byakuya gently places his hand on his shoulder without saying anything, and something about this gesture makes Renji feel a little bit better. Why he’d done it, though, he doesn’t think he’ll ever know.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He lets out a shaky sigh as they stop in front of the half-burnt, half-collapsed house he’d grown up in. When he looks inside from the doorway, he can still see the dried blood on the floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My mother tried to fight back… back against the kitsune that had trapped us in,” Renji continues, closing his eyes. “But one of them killed her with his magic. I barely even registered it happening until I’d felt her blood splattering onto me as she died. I couldn’t even move because I was so terrified.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Much to his dismay, tears spill down his cheeks as he’s overwhelmed with memories of his lovely, kind-hearted mother. However, Renji doesn’t bother trying to hide them. Byakuya has already seen it anyway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What was she like? Your mother?” Byakuya asks, his voice unusually gentle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A bitter, wistful smile crosses Renji’s face as he wipes away the tears. “She was a good woman,” he says. “She was the epitome of silk hiding steel. She could be sweet and gentle, but she could also be firm when needed. She and I… we used to play in the river together, and I used to always pretend to be her little warrior.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His heart aches again. “It was like someone ripped my heart out when she died,” he recalls. “Komamura managed to save me in time, but I can’t even think about my mother without…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>More tears slide down his cheeks, and then, Renji finds himself collapsing onto his knees before the house of his childhood days. And then, he can’t hold it back anymore, and he doesn’t even care that Byakuya is watching him right now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And with that, he covers his mouth as he starts to sob.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji weeps for his mother, for his friends, for all the okami that were mercilessly killed one hundred years ago. He grieves over his shattered innocence, over a once idyllic life that had been cruelly taken away, and over all the pain that he’s tried to suppress.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Has he really had that much grief suppressed within him? Has his mother’s death really broken a part of him that badly?</span>
</p><p><span>Oh, god… never before has the grief hurt him this badly. So many memories hit him; memories of his mother, his friends, the elders… never before has he missed them so, </span><em><span>so</span></em> <em><span>much</span></em><span> until now.</span></p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t know for how long he kneels there, weeping before the ruins of his childhood home. But after a while, his sobs subside, and so does the ache in his heart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji wipes his tears and slowly stands up, letting out a shaky sigh as he swallows down the lump in his throat. Somehow, his shoulders feel as if a heavy weight had been removed from them, and he’s not too sure how to feel about it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you alright?” Byakuya asks gently, interrupting Renji’s thoughts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he glances over at Byakuya, Renji is surprised to see that his mask has been removed, showing his eyes filled with concern.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oddly enough, something about that gesture makes his heart flutter a little as he nods.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine,” he says hoarsely. “I think I’m ready to leave now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya nods. “Alright,” he says. “Let’s go, then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they both leave Inuzuri, Renji feels a bit more at peace. And at the same time, he can’t help but find himself warming up to Byakuya, now that he’s let him watch him openly grieve.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Why he feels so comfortable around Byakuya right now, Renji doesn’t know. But one thing for sure… there’s a lot more to Byakuya than what he’d expected.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I have to admit, I had some fun writing from Rangiku's perspective. And now, our boys will also be getting closer than they were before, so I hope you look forward to it ;)</p><p>Please let me know how I did, and have a good one!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. A Floating Shrine</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>While Renji starts to learn about his duties for the ceremony to strengthen the barrier on Hyakki Yagyo, Grimmjow reflects on his motivations for invading Ashihara, before he decides to send the Ruling Clans a little message.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I just realized that there's a lot of water motifs in this chapter, and honestly, I'm pretty happy I managed to keep it consistent for the most part.</p><p>I hope you all enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Several days have passed since the visit to Inuzuri, and it seems like the trip has actually helped improve things between Renji and Byakuya.</p><p>Renji isn’t sure what it is. Maybe it’s because he’d allowed himself to grieve in front of Byakuya, who didn’t judge him for weeping, but something about the trip has helped the both of them gain some kind of mutual understanding with each other. To be honest, he’d never thought that having someone just be there while he’d wept to have helped in any way, but somehow, Byakuya’s presence had helped him tremendously.</p><p>Why it did, he doesn’t exactly know. But either way, the visit to Inuzuri as a whole has helped him more than he’d expected. And without a doubt, this visit will definitely help in mending fences with the other clans.</p><p><em> Perhaps things will really get better in the future. </em> Renji thinks to himself.</p><p>Today is going to be a busy day for him. First, the other clan heads will be taking him to Hogyoku-ji so he can see the Hogyoku for himself and learn more about the ceremony to strengthen the shrine’s barriers on Hyakki Yagyo. Then, after this visit, he’ll be taking his warriors to the river in Momiji no Mori so they can do some swimming as part of their training.</p><p>Currently, on this warm and pleasant day, Renji walks alongside Byakuya as they follow Shiba, Shihouin, and Ichimaru down the streets of Junrinan, the district of the Raiju Clan, and the location of the Hogyoku-ji itself. Like the Tengu Clan’s district of Kizokugai, Junrinan is also a rather classy and elegant place, and while it’s not as extravagant as the former, it’s still pleasing to the eyes.</p><p>“I heard you’ve replaced your retainer, Ichimaru,” Shiba says casually. “What exactly happened?”</p><p>“Well, Yamada Seinosuke had been a total ass not too long ago,” Ichimaru responds. “He made some very off-colour remarks to Abarai-kun, sayin’ that he should get over the massacre of his people, then even insinuated that the kitsune should have ‘finished the job’ one hundred years ago. Abarai-kun just punched him in the face, and then I dismissed him from his position.”</p><p>“Huh. Never expected that,” Shihouin remarks. “Why’d you do that?”</p><p>“Because if we want to make amends with the Okami Tribe, I can’t afford to have someone like that hangin’ around me,” Ichimaru says with a shrug.</p><p>“And who’s your new retainer?”</p><p>“A rather young kitsune, name’s Kira Izuru. He seems like a good guy, totally reasonable…”</p><p>As he continues to talk about his new retainer to Shiba and Shihouin, Renji just finds himself thinking about the Hogyoku-ji and wondering just what it looks like.</p><p>He’d recently recalled that the former leader of the Okami Tribe would be responsible for some kind of ceremony at the shrine in question, but he’d never known what exactly Hogyoku-ji is or why it was so important. He was supposed to have learned all that when he’d gotten older, but then the slaughter happened, and all of that was forgotten.</p><p>“I’m curious,” Renji says to Byakuya, getting his attention. “What exactly is the Hogyoku-ji? Like, how did it come to be and all that?”</p><p>Byakuya pauses before answering.</p><p>“Like we explained before, the Hogyoku is the source of power for every single youkai in Spirit Society,” he begins. “It was formed in the ancient times, and has been the center of several conflicts in history, so it must be guarded carefully.”</p><p>Renji nods, listening to him speak.</p><p>“During the medieval period, a shrine was built to guard it,” Byakuya continues. “It had been the Raiju Leader at the time who had built it, and he and the other clan heads created a protective barrier around the shrine complex that only they could pass through. Thus, it is the collective responsibility of all Ruling Clan leaders to perform the ceremony to re-strengthen the barrier on Hyakki Yagyo.”</p><p>“Why Hyakki Yagyo, exactly?” Renji is still trying to learn all of this stuff, honestly.</p><p>“Because that is the most inauspicious day when all evil spirits are at their most powerful,” Byakuya explains. “If any of those evil spirits get their hands on the Hogyoku and either destroy or corrupt it, then it will kill every single youkai and destroy all of Spirit Society.”</p><p>Well, that does make sense, Renji supposes.</p><p>“When I was one-hundred-forty years old, my grandfather had brought me to Hogyoku-ji so he could teach me the ceremony and my role and duties,” Byakuya continues. “It’s tradition for all future clan leaders to visit Hogyoku-ji when they’re one-hundred-forty years old, even for the Okami Tribe when they had lived here.”</p><p>Renji just bites his lower lip as he looks down.</p><p>Had the massacre not taken place, he would’ve been able to uphold his duties to Ashihara, and would have been more knowledgeable about this kind of stuff. God, it still amazes him as to how many important duties he’s missed out on, thanks to the massacre.</p><p>But there’s no point in getting angry right now. He’s starting to learn more about these duties, so he should focus on performing them well.</p><p>After some time, Renji notices that they’re nearing the Ashihara Bay, and he finds himself staring out at the bay in amazement.</p><p>The ocean is so blue, albeit darker than the blue sky, but still very pretty to look at. Also in view from the bay is Raijinshima, one of the most sacred islands in Spirit Society, which is believed to be the home of Raijin, the god of lightning whom the Raiju have worshipped since ancient times. In fact, the primeval forest itself is considered a very sacred place that all Raiju must visit when they are of age.</p><p>Erected upon the exposed seabed is a fifty-foot tall Ryobu-style torii gate, coloured in bright vermillion. It’s absolutely stunning to look at, though Renji is a little curious as to why it’s all the way out in the water like that.</p><p>As if noticing Renji’s fascination, Shiba smiles.</p><p>“You know, if you come here in the evening, when the tide is high, the torii looks like it’s floating in the water,” he explains. “In fact, the honden itself appears to float during the high tide. It’s really impressive.”</p><p>Renji raises an eyebrow, impressed at that.</p><p>He’d never imagined that someone would build something to appear as though it’s floating on water. He has to admit, whoever came up with that idea really knew what he was doing.</p><p>Moments later, the shrine complex itself comes into view, and Renji finds himself stopping in his tracks to stare at it in fascination.</p><p>The shrine complex is quite large, and is built in the shinden-zukuri style, one that dates all the way back to the medieval period itself, and it looks so well-preserved. The honden is fairly large with a kirizuma roof made of cypress, and has been constructed on a pier-like structure to help it give the illusion of floating during the high tide. Even more, the other parts of the shrine, like the heiden, haiden, and haraiden, are all connected by boardwalks and supported by pillars above the sea.</p><p>Renji can’t help but wonder how beautiful this whole complex looks when the high tide comes. Oh, it would probably look like a palace floating on the sea itself.</p><p>“It’s beautiful…” he murmurs to himself. “I’ve never seen anything like this before.”</p><p>Shiba grins. “Well, you ought to come by Junrinan more often,” he says. “Being near the bay has its advantages in terms of scenic beauty.”</p><p>From the corner of his eyes, Renji swears he gets the faint hint of a smile on Byakuya’s face, to his mild surprise.</p><p>They eventually reach the entrance to the shrine complex, walking past a five-story pagoda before stepping up onto the entrance boardwalk corridor cloistered by a covered, open-air kairo of vermillion around it. As they make their way to the honden, Renji just looks around in amazement at the walls of white stucco and vermillion woodwork.</p><p>“Why was this shrine built out on the sea?” he wonders out loud, taking note of the bronze lanterns hanging along the corridor.</p><p>“They say it was a medieval clan leader’s attempt to recreate a palace from the ancient period,” Shihouin says. “Whatever the reason was, it’s still an impressive piece of architecture.”</p><p><em> I’ll say… </em>Renji thinks, looking out at the view of the torii gate in the distance.</p><p>Something about the atmosphere of the shrine itself allows a kind of trance to settle over Renji. Is it the spirituality of the place? The scenic beauty? Or can he somehow feel the Hogyoku’s purity and holiness?</p><p>Whatever it is, something about this place is so peaceful and gentle.</p><p>They walk past a smaller shrine building and several other features that have been beautifully preserved and maintained, until at last, they reach the honden itself.</p><p>The five of them walk through the spacious heiden, the offering hall, up to the two green diamond-shaped lattice doors of the honden that protect the Hogyoku.</p><p>It’s as they approach the honden that Renji suddenly feels it, and he tenses up in alarm. <em> What the hell?! </em></p><p>A strong, crushing reiatsu emanates from behind the lattice doors, and it’s almost hard for him to even think straight.</p><p><em> No way… don’t tell me that’s the Hogyoku… </em>He thinks in disbelief.</p><p>As if reading his mind, Byakuya just nods. “Indeed, that is the Hogyoku you are sensing,” he says. “Only a clan leader, priest, and miko are able to withstand its immense reiatsu. Any ordinary youkai who gets too close would be killed by it.”</p><p>Goddamn, it’s <em> that </em> strong?</p><p>“We’re going to show the Hogyoku to you,” Shiba says as he and Ichimaru approach the lattice doors. “Be careful as you approach, Abarai-kun.”</p><p>Renji just nods warily as he tentatively approaches the honden, right as Shiba and Ichimaru carefully part the doors open just a crack, revealing what’s behind the doors.</p><p>Resting on a small platform beneath a shimenawa rope festooned with shide strips is a medium-sized cluster of uncut precious stones coloured a fiery-orange. The sunlight hits it in a way that makes it sparkle quite prettily, and it looks very beautiful in its current spot.</p><p>When he looks at it, he can almost see an orange glow surrounding it as it practically radiates both power and purity.</p><p>No wonder evil spirits want to get their hands on it. It radiates power, so much that it would drive people to madness in order to obtain it and attain that great power.</p><p>“Since its formation, the Hogyoku has been fought over many times in the ancient period,” Shiba explains. “Many youkai have been driven to madness to try and take it for themselves, and they would gladly turn against their own in order to get it. Shuten Douji had been one of those who tried to take it for himself, towards the end of the ancient period.”</p><p>“Which is why it was permanently enshrined in this complex during the medieval period,” Ichimaru adds. “The whole purpose of this shrine is to protect the Hogyoku and keep it guarded from all evil spirits, hence why a protective barrier was also formed around the shrine complex.”</p><p>He and Shiba both close the doors and make their way out of the honden into the haraiden, the purification hall. From the haraiden, there is a spectacular view of the torii gate, and there’s also an open-air deck with an elevated stage upon it, with two jade komainu statues placed on either side as guardians.</p><p>“Every year on Hyakki Yagyo, the clan heads must work with the shrine priests and miko to strengthen the barrier again,” Byakuya explains. “Each clan head has their own important duty for the ceremony.”</p><p>Renji listens carefully as they detail the ceremony and explain the duties and rituals involved.</p><p>“The Kitsune Leader is in charge of purifying the Hogyoku with water,” Byakuya continues. “The Raiju Leader is to lead the shrine musicians in gagaku, the holy music of the shrine. While they play the music, the Tengu Leader leads the priests and miko in reciting the ancient kotodama to strengthen the barrier itself, all while the Bakeneko Leader performs the ceremonial dance to appease the spirit of the Hogyoku.”</p><p>“What about the Okami Leader?” Renji asks.</p><p>“The Okami Leader stands out on the deck and acts as a guard against the evil spirits,” Shihouin says. “They will have special incense to help guard the honden by spreading the smoke through the air, and they will fight off any enemies that try to break in from the land and sea.”</p><p>“The ceremony usually takes place at night,” Ichimaru says. “But this year, we’ll have to conduct the ceremony during the day, since we’ll have to prepare to fight against the oni when they invade at night on the new moon.”</p><p>Renji nods slowly, taking in all the information shared with him.</p><p>He continues to listen to the rest of the clan leaders as they explain the kind of incense that must be used, how he can even have some of his warriors help stand guard, and as he listens to all of this, he finds himself admiring the view of the torii gate from the deck.</p><p>It sounds like there is a lot that goes into this ceremony, but even so, he knows how important it is for him to perform his part.</p><p>After a while of explanations and teaching him about the ceremony, it’s finally time to go.</p><p>Again, Renji marvels at the rest of the shrine’s beauty as they make their way down the kairo to the exit on the other side. They pass by a separate building attached to one of the corridors, and Byakuya decides to explain the purpose of the building.</p><p>“That is the Noh stage,” Byakuya says. “One of the Tengu Leaders had donated it shortly after the shrine complex had been built.”</p><p>“Right. The Kuchiki Clan as a whole has always been a patron of the arts, right?” Shihouin remembers.</p><p>“Yes, but I prefer kabuki, to be honest,” Byakuya says.</p><p>Eventually, they reach the exit of the shrine and make their way out.</p><p>“So, what do you think of Hogyoku-ji?” Shiba asks with a smile.</p><p>“It was beautiful,” Renji says honestly. “I really liked it.”</p><p>“That’s great to hear,” Shiba says. “Again, if you think this is impressive, then you should come here during the high tide and get a look at the shrine. It’s even more gorgeous during that time.”</p><p>“I’ll keep that in mind.”</p><p>As they leave the shrine complex, Renji starts heading in the direction of Kizokugai along with Byakuya.</p><p>“I’m gonna be taking my warriors to the river in Momiji no Mori for their endurance training,” Renji says. “Besides, a swim in the river would be pretty nice.”</p><p>Byakuya nods slowly, then pauses. “Would you be alright if I were to watch your training?” he asks.</p><p>Renji raises an eyebrow, looking at him curiously. “Why’s that?”</p><p>“I would like to see how you train your warriors,” Byakuya explains. “I’ve been curious about it for a while, so I want to see if I can pick up on any techniques you’re using when training them.”</p><p>To be honest, he definitely hasn’t expected Byakuya to take an interest in watching him train his warriors, but it doesn’t sound like a bad idea, really.</p><p>Besides, it sounds like a good way to demonstrate the martial arts of the okami to him.</p><p>Even so, Renji feels his cheeks warming up as he realizes that Byakuya will basically be watching him wearing nothing but fundoshi as he swims in the river. Why that makes him fluster a little, he doesn’t know. He’s always been pretty confident in his body, so he shouldn’t feel so nervous.</p><p>Nevertheless, he decides to accept Byakuya’s request.</p><p>“I guess it doesn’t sound too bad,” Renji concedes. “Sure, you can come and watch.”</p><p>“Thank you, Abarai,” Byakuya says. “I hope I won’t be too much of a hindrance.”</p><p>“I’m sure you’ll be fine. Just make sure you keep a bit of a distance if you want to avoid distracting them.”</p><p>And with that, they make their way towards Kizokugai, ready to start endurance training in the river.</p><hr/><p>Sweat drips down Grimmjow’s body as he straightens up and wipes his forehead while breathing heavily. The cave floor is rough and wet beneath him, and a waterfall cascades from above into a plunge pool, making mist and water droplets soak into his skin and hair.</p><p>He doesn’t care about it, though. He’s used to it, since he’s always trained in this cavern since his childhood.</p><p>As always, he’s pushed himself to the limits in his training. Just like how he has been told to do, just like how the old man had beaten it into him.</p><p>Distantly, he can hear his father’s harsh voice ringing in his ears.</p><p>
  <em> “Pathetic! You dare call yourself my son?! Don’t you dare come back into this cave until you manage to defeat the strongest warrior with your bare hands, you worthless piece of trash!” </em>
</p><p>Grimmjow growls lowly in his throat.</p><p>“Is everything alright, Grimmjow-sama?” Yylfordt asks, entering the cavern.</p><p>“Definitely not,” Grimmjow retorts darkly. “I was remembering that miserable piece of shit again.”</p><p>Yylfordt doesn’t respond, though he knows who Grimmjow is talking about.</p><p>“Your father is dead,” he points out calmly. “Surely he shouldn’t be able to get to you anymore.”</p><p>“You don’t get it, Yylfordt.” Grimmjow stands up from the floor. “No matter how many years pass, I won’t ever forget about that bastard and how he’s treated me. Why else do you think I refused to give him and my mom a proper funeral? Why else would I have just dumped their bodies in the woods for the animals to take care of?”</p><p>He curls his hands into fists. “I hate the old man for what he’s done to me,” he snarls. “But I’m gonna prove that I’m a better leader than he ever was. I’m gonna take that Hogyoku for myself and become the King of Spirit Society. Then we’ll see who’s the worthless piece of trash.”</p><p>“You already are the best leader the Oni Tribe has ever had,” Yylfordt says sincerely. “You may be your father’s son, but you’re a better man than he ever hoped to be.”</p><p>Grimmjow softens slightly, and a wan smile crosses his face for a brief moment.</p><p>“I’m never gonna be like him,” Grimmjow promises himself. “The old man was a bastard, and his wife was no better. She didn’t even have the spine to defend her own son.”</p><p>Honestly, he’s not sure who he hates more: his father, or his mother.</p><p>“I’ll leave you to your thoughts, Grimmjow-sama,” Yylfordt says, bowing. “Call me if you need anything.”</p><p>With that, he departs.</p><p>Grimmjow just heads over to the edge of the plunge pool behind the waterfall, and steps out under the cascade. The rushing water soaks him completely, and when he’s satisfied, he then swiftly dives into the plunge pool for a swim.</p><p>The water is nice and cool, providing instant relief from his intense solo training session as he gracefully dives beneath the water’s surface. But as he starts to swim through the pool itself, his thoughts sour as he remembers his motives to invade Ashihara on Hyakki Yagyo.</p><p>This is what his father has been training him for since his childhood days. And he had been merciless about it; he’d wanted his own son to become as brutal and cruel as him, and so he treated him brutally since he’d learned how to walk.</p><p>Even worse was his mother, who had pretty much enabled the abuse. God, he hates her so much for being spineless, for holding him down whenever the old man decided to discipline him.</p><p>Nothing he did had ever been good enough for either of them. Even so, Grimmjow had done everything he could to try and appease them up until they’d died.</p><p>But in spite of their deaths, he can still hear their voices echoing in his ears.</p><p>
  <em> “Stop being so difficult and hold still. Your father is doing this for your own sake.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “No son of mine will ever be a weakling! You should be grateful to be the heir of the Oni Tribe!” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “It’s your responsibility to avenge Shuten Douji and teach the other youkai a lesson.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “You should be proud to be a descendant of Shuten Douji himself! How dare you not revere him like your ancestors?!” </em>
</p><p>God, Grimmjow hates that name already.<em> Shuten Douji. </em> The most powerful Oni Leader of all time who tried and failed to take the Hogyoku.</p><p>Never before has a name ever pissed him off until now. It’s gotten to the point where he’s openly forbidden anyone to even say the name of that Oni Leader from the ancient period, the one he must avenge.</p><p>Over the years, Grimmjow has come to despise both his parents for forcing him to bear this burden on his shoulders. Shuten Douji has been dead for thousands of years now! Why the fuck does he have to be in charge of avenging him?</p><p>He swims up to the edge of the pool and climbs out before heading into the main chamber, where he sees several oni doing their own training. He momentarily observes them as he continues thinking to himself.</p><p>At this point, to be honest, he almost wants to abandon the plans of invasion out of spite for his parents.</p><p>Yet when that thought crosses his mind, he hears his father’s voice again.</p><p>
  <em> “Giving up now? What’s the matter, are you too much of a coward, you brat?” </em>
</p><p>Grimmjow glares at the ground, his lips curling into a snarl.</p><p>He’s most definitely not a coward. Oh, he’ll show his worthless father just who is truly worth anything.</p><p>
  <em> Just you wait, old man. I’m gonna show you that I’m a more powerful oni than you’ll ever be. </em>
</p><p>He’ll invade Ashihara, and he’ll take the Hogyoku for himself. And with that, he will become the ruler of all of Spirit Society, which his old man had never managed to accomplish. That would be the ultimate slap in the face for him, and Grimmjow relishes the thought.</p><p>Suddenly, he finds himself detecting the reiatsu trail of the Okami Leader and his warriors down in Momiji no Mori. And immediately, he makes his decision.</p><p>It’s time to make the first move, and give them a little warning.</p><p>With that, he turns his sight onto a group of oni who are beating each other with spiked clubs.</p><p>“You there!” Grimmjow barks, getting their attention. “Come over here!”</p><p>The group of oni immediately hurry over to him and wait for his orders.</p><p>“The Okami Leader and his warriors are in Momiji no Mori right now,” he says, a savage grin crossing his face. “Why not give them my regards and let ‘em know that I can’t wait to fight ‘em all on Hyakki Yagyo?”</p><p>The oni grin sadistically. “Of course, Grimmjow-sama,” they all say.</p><p>Almost immediately, they rush out of the cave with their clubs at the ready.</p><p>As he watches them leave, Grimmjow drapes his pellet over his shoulders. </p><p>
  <em> Just you all wait… this is only the beginning. </em>
</p><hr/><p>Momiji no Mori is as beautiful with its many fiery-coloured maple trees that cover the area and shine almost gold beneath the sun’s light. And with deep-blue waters that lead up to the plunge pool of a waterfall, the river itself is also quite stunning to look at.</p><p>Byakuya stands by a tree, watching Renji training his warriors. Yet again, just like that time in the dojo, Renji is mentoring in a way that doesn’t hinder, but encourages his warriors to do well. He explains what they should do, how they can improve, and also demonstrates so they understand, even joining in on the training itself.</p><p>And oh, does he ever look good when he swims.</p><p>Dressed in only a fundoshi like the other warriors, his powerful body is on full display to everyone, yet he is completely relaxed.</p><p>“Alright, everyone!” Renji says, getting his warriors’ attention. “Let’s do a race to the plunge pool and finish up with our training!”</p><p>His warriors voice their agreements enthusiastically, and on Renji’s count, they all dive into the river and start swimming to the plunge pool.</p><p>Byakuya stays silent as he watches Renji swim with a rough kind of elegance through the waters, and mentally, he’s never been more glad for his mask until now.</p><p>The way those tattoos of his almost ripple against his skin with every arm movement, the way his long crimson hair is plastered to his face and skin, it’s all so mesmerizing and enchanting to watch.</p><p>He should be ashamed for staring so shamelessly, but Byakuya can’t find it in himself to care.</p><p><em> How is it that someone as magnificent as you could be hidden in the forest for so long? </em> He wonders to himself.</p><p>But that’s nothing compared to how Renji looks as he surfaces from the water in the plunge pool.</p><p>Behind his mask, Byakuya’s eyes widen in amazement and his mouth goes dry. His cheeks warm up, and he swallows slightly as he admires the view.</p><p>Renji’s hair has come out of its low ponytail, and strands of it cling to his face and shoulders. Droplets of water slide down and drip off his muscular body, which glistens under the sun while he pushes his hair out of his face.</p><p><em> Good thing the youkai ladies aren’t here to see this… </em>Byakuya thinks wryly, trying to fight the blush that threatens to cross his face.</p><p>Why he’s so attracted to Renji right now, he doesn’t even know. Just what is it about him and his appearance that makes his mouth go dry? Is Renji even aware of what he looks like right now?</p><p>It certainly doesn’t help that he’s so drawn to his personality as well.</p><p>As if feeling Byakuya’s eyes on him, Renji glances at him while pushing his hair out of his face. A mischievous smile tugs at the corners of his lips as he swims to the edge before climbing out, and then he grabs his clothes before heading into the forest to dry himself off and change.</p><p>With this race finished, the other okami warriors do the same once they get out of the river, and as they also head off to dry themselves and change back into their clothes.</p><p>After a short while, Renji emerges from the forest, completely dry and dressed in his fur stole and karusan-bakama, as well as the wolf-teeth necklace that hangs from his neck.</p><p>“So, Kuchiki,” Renji greets with a knowing grin. “You liked the training?”</p><p>Byakuya just clears his throat. “I suppose I did,” he says.</p><p>“You know, just because you have that mask on doesn’t mean I can’t feel your eyes on me,” Renji teases him. “You liked what you saw, I assume?”</p><p>Much to his dismay, Byakuya’s cheeks heat up even more, and he just looks down. “I was simply observing you and your warriors’ techniques,” he says, trying to keep his voice even.</p><p>“Well, if I didn’t know better, I’d say-”</p><p>His sentence cuts off, prompting Byakuya to look at him curiously.</p><p>However, Renji just stands up straight, his eyes scanning the forest as his ears twitch slightly, and that’s when Byakuya notices that the rest of the warriors are also looking at the forest warily.</p><p>“Abarai?” Byakuya says cautiously, looking around to see what’s bothering him.</p><p>Suddenly, he finds himself pushed to the side before he can even blink. “Get outta the way!” Renji barks.</p><p>Byakuya looks at him in disbelief, but Renji pays no attention. Instead, he stares at the forest and snarls as tendrils of shadows coil around his arms.</p><p>“Abarai, what is-” Right then, he feels it.</p><p>A dark, vicious reiatsu.</p><p>And right then, before he knows it, an oni lunges out of the bushes towards him and Renji.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I based the Hogyoku-ji shrine off the Itsukushima Shrine, a Shinto shrine on Miyajima which is well-known for its "floating" torii gate. I highly recommend you look up some photos of the shrine itself; it's incredibly beautiful, especially when it appears to "float" during the high tide.</p><p>I hope you also enjoyed the fanservice towards the end ;)</p><p>Please let me know how I did, and have a good one!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Frozen Sakura</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In the ensuing fight against the oni, Renji finds himself fascinated by Byakuya's ice magic.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Here's Chapter 7, where our boys get a little bit closer now ;)</p><p>I hope you all enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Renji is quick to leap out of the way, and he gets back into an offensive stance while glaring at the leering oni that brandishes his spiked kanabo club. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>All around him, he hears Komamura and the warriors shouting as more oni emerge from within the forest, also snarling and leering with their kanabo clubs at the ready. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And at the same time, another one lunges out of the forest to take on Byakuya, who holds himself firm and brandishes his shakujo staff.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Stay firm. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Renji reminds himself. </span>
  <em>
    <span>And don’t kill any of these bastards. Just injure them and give the Oni Leader another warning.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>His heart pounds against his chest as he curls his lips into a snarl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He then aims his hand at the oni that charges towards him, and shoots a ball of shadows right in his path.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The shadow ball explodes on impact, and the oni flies back with a screech of anger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Undeterred, the oni gets back up onto his feet and charges once more while raising his club. Renji simply prepares his claws and swipes them over the oni’s bare chest when he gets close enough.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Again, the oni screeches more in anger than pain, and Renji responds with a vicious snarl, baring his fangs much like a wolf.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Is that how you wanna play? You wanna mess with the wolf? </span>
  </em>
  <span>He thinks darkly. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, you’ll get yourself a wolf then.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He launches a shadow blast at the oni, and it instantly shifts into the form of a snarling wolf that growls as it charges towards him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The oni is still undeterred, and he simply raises his club with an insane laugh before bringing it down on the shadow wolf, making it dissipate almost instantly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But of course. This one isn’t as powerful as the actual wolves of the shadows, summoned only by a howl. However, Renji doesn’t want to use that technique yet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A sudden chill makes him tense up, and from the corner of his eye, he notices that Byakuya is using his magic to fight effortlessly and gracefully against a couple more oni. Even more, his magic is pure, cold ice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Time seems to slow down as Renji notices the kinds of attacks Byakuya launches at the oni. He uses his hand to summon ice blocks that burst up from the ground, and he flaps his wings to blow ice-cold air in the direction of the oni, with the cold air causing cuts into their skin. And then, he aims his shakujo staff at his enemies while coldly insulting them, creating wings of ice that send them flying back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s absolutely stunning to behold, and the fact that Byakuya remains just as cold and stoic as his attacks.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He’s simply peerless.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Right then, Renji’s thoughts are interrupted when he hears his own opponent snarling, and he turns his attention back to his own fight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji charges towards the oni and swipes his claws over his face, making the oni snarl in anger. Nevertheless, the oni simply brings out his own claws and fights back just as viciously. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Renji swiftly gains the upper hand, using his shadow attacks to push the oni back, and then finally stabbing him through his shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the oni shouts in pain and anger, Renji narrows his eyes. It’s become more apparent as to how strange this sudden ambush is. Why the hell are the oni deciding to try and fight them right now?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He marches over to the oni and grabs him by his horns, yanking him up from the ground as he glares at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the hell are you all doing here?” Renji demands. “Why the fuck are you attacking us?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The oni doesn’t even look intimidated. Instead, he grins hideously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, it’s nothing major,” he taunts. “We’re just passing on a little message from Grimmjow-sama.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji freezes, his eyes widening in shock.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Grimmjow-sama… </span>
  </em>
  <span>Without a doubt, that is the name of the Oni Leader.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, he wants to tell you how much he looks forward to fighting you all on Hyakki Yagyo!” the oni jeers, letting out a hideous laugh that sends a shudder down Renji’s spine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Somehow, he finds himself recalling the deer shortage in their usual hunting grounds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a snarl, Renji releases the oni. “Get the fuck outta my sight,” he barks. “And tell your leader that the next time you fuckers trespass in our territory, I won’t hesitate to kill you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a mocking laugh, the oni is quick to run back into the forest. Immediately, Renji heads over to Komamura and the warriors to assist them in their own fight against some more oni.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But as they fight, what that other oni had said lingers in Renji’s mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Are the oni really responsible for the shortage of deer in their hunting grounds? If that’s the case, then there’s no way he can let it slide.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So when he strikes an oni in the gut, sending him onto his knees, Renji hauls him up by his beaded chain before keeping his reiatsu at a harsh, intimidating level.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have you been hunting on our territory?” he demands. “Don’t you fucking lie to me, oni. We’ve been having a shortage of deer, and you’re the only other tribe close to us. So spit it out!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Again, much to his annoyance, this oni doesn’t even flinch at Renji’s harsh tone. Instead, he just sneers mockingly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Our leader already took care of the culprits,” he mocks. “So there’s no need for you to worry, okami.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji frowns at this. </span>
  <em>
    <span>The hell…?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Clearly there have been some oni that have been hunting in okami territory. But to learn that the Oni Leader himself is opposed to it?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It doesn’t make much sense at all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But he’s not going to read too much into it right now. Not when they’re trying to fight the oni.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And considering how vicious their attacks are becoming now, perhaps it’s best to call in some reinforcements to really make them back off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that, Renji stands his ground, tilts his head back, and lets out a ringing howl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The howl makes everyone stop fighting, and Komamura glances knowingly at the warriors before he joins in on the howling as well. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Soon, the other warriors start to howl, and all their voices create an eerie harmony that makes the oni falter and step back in surprise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, snarls and growls start echoing from the depths of the forest, and that’s when they all see it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Emerging from the shadows of the forest is a large pack of shadowy wolves with glowing red eyes slowly stride forth, snarling and baring their teeth as they menace towards the oni.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji is the first one to stop howling, and he glares at the oni before pointing at them.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Get them.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The shadow wolves are quick to obey, and they charge towards the oni with fierce and savage growls.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sheer size of the pack of shadow wolves is enough to force the oni to retreat. But in spite of that, some of them don’t retreat into the forest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rather… they just change their target.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And their new target is none other than Byakuya.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, fuck.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Chase the rest into the forest!” Renji orders Komamura. “I’ll take care of the others!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course!” Komamura shouts back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji leads the shadow wolves in Byakuya’s direction only to find him surrounded pretty quickly. And while Byakuya is fighting them off pretty well for the most part, he’s slowly starting to struggle against the growing number of oni.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Looks like he needs some help… </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Without hesitation, Renji quickly points to the oni as he glances at the shadow wolves.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Chase them into the forest,” he orders. “But don’t kill any of them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Again, the shadow wolves obey him, and they charge forth with snarls and growls that get Byakuya’s attention before they quickly attack the oni that surround him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even though his mask conceals his eyes, Byakuya seems rather surprised at this sudden turn of events.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji smiles for a brief moment, but it quickly fades when he notices an oni creeping up behind Byakuya, who fails to notice him thanks to how his reiatsu is concealed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before he realizes what he’s doing, he quickly runs over to them, desperate to stop the oni from ambushing him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kuchiki!” he shouts in alarm, leaping in the way right as the oni raises his kanabo.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The force of the spiked kanabo crushes down on his left shoulder, sending Renji to the ground as the spikes tear into his skin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, he just grits his teeth against the pain as he manages to shoot a ball of shadows at the oni, sending him flying back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Take that… as a warning…” Renji snarls weakly.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck… </span>
  </em>
  <span>He thinks. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Shouldn’t have used magic from my left arm.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Thankfully, the oni is wise enough to retreat along with the others. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, that’s when the pain in Renji’s shoulder flares harshly, and he winces before curling in on himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck!” he curses.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Abarai!” Right then, Byakuya rushes over to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji weakly glances up to notice that Byakuya seems rather… confused. Of course, he can’t really tell, thanks to the mask. But his reiatsu is confused and worried.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We have to take you back immediately,” Byakuya says urgently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Abarai!” Komamura and the warriors come rushing in their direction, faltering in shock as they notice the injury on his left shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Quickly, Byakuya stands upright as his dignified authority comes back. “Carry him back to the manor,” he orders two of them. “At once!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“W-Wait!” Renji orders, weakly sitting up. “Komamura… go and inform the village… about the oni. Tell them… Tell them to stay vigilant, and to prepare for Hyakki Yagyo…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Komamura nods. “Of course,” he obeys.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With whatever strength now exhausted, Renji just collapses back onto the ground, barely even registering the feeling of being lifted up carefully by two of his warriors. The pain from his injury is getting worse, especially from where the spikes had torn into his skin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he’s gingerly lifted up, Renji finds himself smiling dryly as he realizes something.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Heh… this is the second time I’ve gotten injured… while defending a tengu.</span>
  </em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>The journey back into Ashihara is a blur for the most part, and the next thing he knows, he’s lying on a futon in the main Kuchiki Manor as a doctor tends to his injury.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the doctor works, the pain slowly dulls in Renji’s shoulder, which has now been disinfected, treated, and bandaged. He listens to the doctor’s advice not to strain it too much, but thanks to his reiatsu level, it will heal very quickly, and he’ll be good to go in only a couple of days.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But while the pain in his shoulder has dulled, Renji certainly doesn’t expect to receive pain in his ears when an angry and worried Rukia storms into the room and starts to scold him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You absolute fool!” Rukia admonishes, looking almost imperious right now. “Just what were you thinking, Abarai Renji?! How could you have let yourself be injured like that again?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji winces slightly. “S-Sorry…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is the second time you’ve gotten injured while defending one of us!” Rukia rants. “You shouldn’t have done such a thing, especially since Nii-sama is perfectly capable of fighting for himself!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The oni that snuck up on him was concealing his reiatsu,” Renji calmly tells her. “He couldn’t sense it, and I had no other choice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rukia looks a little surprised, but slowly nods before looking down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please forgive me for shouting at you,” she says quietly. “I got very worried for you and Nii-sama, especially after I heard about what happened.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry,” Renji reassures her. “We’re both fine, as you can see. Besides, I’ll recover quickly enough.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At that, Rukia smiles faintly. “I’m glad you’re doing alright,” she says. “I’ll let you rest now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that, she rises gracefully and practically glides out of the room, while Renji just lies back on the futon and stares up at the ceiling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His rest gets interrupted every now and then, first by Komamura and the warriors when they stop by to check on him, and by a servant who brings dinner for him. But other than those instances, Renji has enough quiet time to reflect on his thoughts, and on the fight in the forest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What exactly had compelled him to take that injury for Byakuya? Well, apart from the fact that Byakuya couldn’t detect the oni’s reiatsu.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But for some reason, some kind of protective instinct had flared up within him. Of course, Byakuya is perfectly capable of fighting for himself, but even so, Renji can’t stand the thought of Byakuya getting hurt in battle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then he finds himself recalling how Byakuya had kept his eyes on him during their training, how he’d been so clearly flustered by the sight of Renji wearing only a fundoshi for swimming in the river.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Why does that make his heart beat a little faster?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji just sighs quietly, shaking his head.</span>
  <em>
    <span> Don’t read too much into it.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Just as he finishes up his rice and sashimi, the door slides open to reveal Byakuya entering the room with a surprising hesitance, all while holding some kind of book in his hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His mask has been removed, and so have his haori, yuigesa, and veiled headdress. He looks a lot more vulnerable right now, and despite the red markings near his eyes, they look unusually gentler right now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji sets the bowl and chopsticks aside, watching as Byakuya approaches the side of the futon and kneels in seiza.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is the second time you’ve defended a member of the Kuchiki Clan,” Byakuya says quietly. “I thank you for your assistance. If it hadn’t been for you, that kanabo would’ve torn through my wings.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s…” Renji just shyly averts his eyes. “There’s no need to thank me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But why did you do it?” Byakuya asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At that, Renji hesitates. He’s not sure how exactly to answer that question, but he tries his best.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I had to respond when I saw the oni creeping up behind you,” he says. “Besides, I will always help out anyone struggling in a fight, whether they’re a clan head or one of my warriors.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya just nods, as though satisfied by the explanation. “I see,” he says. “Again… I thank you, Abarai.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shortly after that, the two of them are content to just sit there in comfortable silence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji quietly brushes his fingers through his free-flowing hair as he stares out the gap between the shoji doors at the garden, then he glances back to see that Byakuya is reading through the book he’d brought with him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you reading?” he asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya glances up. “A book of poetry,” he says. “It’s actually an anthology of some old poems from all five ruling clans. This… This used to be my late wife’s favourite book to read.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While he looks somewhat melancholic as he says that, he shows Renji the pages he’s reading.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji is pleasantly surprised to recognize some of the poems on the pages, and he can’t help but faintly smile as he recalls his days of studying the great okami poets as part of his leadership training.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While okami poetry, known as haiku, is not as sophisticated or elegant as tengu poetry, as satirical and witty as kitsune poetry, or as bawdy as bakeneko poetry, it has its own merits for being simple but evocative in a unique form that is easy for others to use.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In fact, Renji himself has written his own unique haiku poems, as is standard for Okami Leaders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You recognize these poems?” Byakuya asks, regarding him curiously as he hands him the book.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji nods with a smile. “Of course,” he says, accepting the book. “Part of my leadership training was learning how to study, read, and write haiku poems. A lot of these poets were former leaders of the Okami Tribe, actually.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Again, Byakuya looks curious. “You’ve written your own poems?” he asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I sure have,” Renji says proudly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’re very simple,” Byakuya observes. “But at the same time, they evoke some impressive visuals in the reader’s mind. It’s very different from the poetry of the tengu. I’ll admit, I actually like to read them from time to time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At that, Renji looks at him in pleasant surprise. “I never knew,” he says. “I thought you’d like the longer tengu poetry?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do, yes,” Byakuya says. “But sometimes, it’s nice to read something communicated in a simple and straight-forward manner, rather than something that’s too complicated to even decipher.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji can’t help but chuckle at that. “That’s the beauty of haiku,” he says. “Simple but evocative.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That it is,” Byakuya agrees. “Hisana used to love reading haiku, actually.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And there he goes again, looking so melancholic as he recalls his late wife.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji isn’t sure what to say, so he just nods slowly before glancing down at the haiku poems in the book. Then, he quickly finds himself focusing on a particular haiku, written by an Okami Leader from the medieval period, titled, ‘Ice Flower’.</span>
</p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em>
      <span>In the winter snow</span>
    </em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>
      <span>Frozen on a branch of ice</span>
    </em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>
      <span>A lone sakura</span>
    </em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>
  <span>So simple, yet it evokes such a vivid image in Renji’s mind. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>In fact, it evokes the memory of Byakuya’s ice magic from the fight earlier on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji had never seen such beautiful magic until then, actually. It had been truly stunning to behold, especially with how gracefully Byakuya had been casting those spells and attacks. Of course, despite its beauty, it’s harsh and merciless, and very lethal for the recipient. Those oni had been lucky to not be killed by the magic.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In fact, the ice magic actually suits Byakuya perfectly. It’s cold, harsh, unforgiving, and yet absolutely pretty to look at… much like the Tengu Leader himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For some reason, Renji wants to see more of that beautiful ice magic. He wants to know what else Byakuya can do with it, and see more of its cold beauty.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But would Byakuya be willing to show off his magic just like that?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to ask.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, Kuchiki…” Renji begins, looking down shyly. “Your magic is very beautiful.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya looks at him in mild surprise. “Thank you…” he says, sounding a bit unsure.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m serious,” Renji reassures him, his heart beating faster. “A-Anyways… I was wondering if… if you could show me some more of your magic?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Considering how Byakuya looks a little taken aback, he clearly hadn’t been expecting such a request.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I…” He slowly nods at last. “I suppose I could show you.”</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Byakuya doesn’t know what to think after hearing Renji’s request. Of course, a part of him is undeniably flattered that Renji is interested in seeing his magic, and that he thinks it’s beautiful.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, when he looks at Renji, he finds his heart beating a little faster when he sees how shy he looks right now. Why his heart flutters a little, he has no idea. All he knows is that Renji looks so endearing when shy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can you show me now?” Renji asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll show you when your injuries have been healed,” Byakuya tells him. “Surely you should be focused on resting?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji shakes his head. “I’m an okami,” he says. “We’re always quick to heal from any injury we have.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But of course. Byakuya should have known how stubborn the okami can be, especially when it comes to fighting back against their injuries.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright then,” he concedes, rising to his feet and heading to the door. “Once you’ve bathed and changed, I’ll show you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It doesn’t take very long for Renji to bathe and change into his usual clothes and fur stole, though he opts to let his hair flow freely. Nevertheless, once he’s retrieved his shakujo staff, Byakuya leads him to a decent-sized private courtyard in the main manor, where he normally practices his magic.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By now, night has fallen, and the lanterns in the courtyard have already been lit, casting soft glows against the shoji doors. Several damaged training dummies are still set up, obviously worn from previous practice sessions, and there’s a permanent chill that lingers in the air.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Byakuya steps down from the engawa porch onto the court, Renji sits down on the engawa and leans against a wooden column.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And for a moment, Byakuya finds himself entranced by how Renji looks beneath the glow of the lanterns and the moon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s taken me quite some time to perfect my techniques,” Byakuya says calmly. “I hope my demonstrations will satisfy you, Abarai.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that, he holds his hand out and raises it slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instantly, large blocks of ice burst up from the ground towards one of the dummies, destroying it almost immediately.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya lowers his hands and the ice blocks dissipate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He moves onto his next technique, where he creates wings of ice, and as he performs it, that’s when he notices how intrigued Renji looks right now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he continues to demonstrate his various techniques, Renji just watches in fascination, and Byakuya can’t help but notice how he looks almost… </span>
  <em>
    <span>innocent.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The way his hair flows freely instead of being tied up, it makes him look a lot gentler, surprisingly. He’s less of a wolf right now, and more like an innocent puppy. How is it that this strong, fierce, tattooed clan leader can look so innocent and naive right now?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>How is it that he keeps on finding new ways to intrigue Byakuya like this?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My next technique is actually my favourite one,” Byakuya admits. “With this technique, I can create sakura blossoms of ice, and while they might be beautiful to look at, they are absolutely deadly for my opponent.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji sits up straighter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya turns his attention to another target dummy, and then flourishes his shakujo staff downward in a way that makes the metal rings cling against each other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then, the cold air starts to gather in certain places, materializing into ice and crystallizing slowly into the form of tree branches. As they continue to form, sakura blossom buds made from ice also start forming on the branches, and then slowly start to bloom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the icy sakura flowers bloom, ice starts to creep up on the training dummy, going faster and faster until the last ice sakura flower blooms open.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now, the training dummy is completely encased in ice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya flourishes his staff once more, the metal rings clanging again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The ice around the dummy shatters immediately, destroying the dummy along with it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the ice branches and flowers dissipate, all while sparkling under the moonlight, Byakuya turns to look at Renji, who looks absolutely amazed at what he’s just seen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That… That was so beautiful,” Renji whispers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya feels a little shy, but responds. “Thank you. It is a beautiful technique,” he agrees. “But it’s very lethal. The recipient of this attack will be unable to run, for they will be surrounded by cold that will form into ice upon their person, and with a flourish of my staff, they will be swiftly destroyed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji nods. “Well, I’d say it suits you perfectly, since it’s both beautiful and lethal,” he says. “Thank you for showing me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At that, Byakuya tries to fight off the blush that threatens to cross his face. “You’re… You’re very welcome,” he murmurs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both leave the courtyard and start making their way back to the manor, heading down the main entrance area as they do so. As they walk, Byakuya finds himself thinking about his demonstrations for Renji.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hisana had always been interested in Byakuya’s magic, considering that she was a yuki onna. When she’d asked him to demonstrate his combat techniques to her, he’d gladly shown them to her, and had felt so shy when she’d called them beautiful.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And honestly, this demonstration for Renji actually reminds him of that time when Hisana had still been alive, especially his interest in watching them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I used to show these techniques to Hisana when she had been alive,” Byakuya reminisces. “When you asked me to show them to you, I was reminded of that time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji pauses. “She must have been a good woman,” he says empathetically.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She really was,” Byakuya says wistfully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>From the corner of his eyes, he notices how Renji’s brown wolf ears on top of his head twitch slightly to show that he’s listening, which makes his heart flutter a little bit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Something about how innocently Renji’s ears twitch… it’s absolutely adorable.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Right then, they hear the sound of a man and woman’s laughter near the karamon, and they both pause in their tracks as they see Rikichi, one of Renji’s warriors, entering the manor complex with a young, pretty tengu woman in tow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neither of them can hear what they’re saying, but both Rikichi and this tengu woman are clearly shy while saying their goodbyes. Then, to Byakuya’s mild amusement, the tengu woman gives Rikichi a little kiss on his cheek, making him blush deeply as she leaves with a sweet smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beside him, Renji chuckles quietly. “Good on him,” he says. “Hopefully he’s got a good story to tell us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And that’s when Byakuya remembers what Ichimaru had told him shortly after he’d given his report of the oni attack to the other clan heads.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Abarai,” he says, getting his attention. “I have some news. There is a poetry reading event at the Hogyoku-ji shrine in a few days’ time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji nods. “And?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya glances at him. “And Ichimaru has invited the both of us to attend and participate.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I created that haiku poem on my own, though I'm sure it doesn't follow the form in Japanese.</p><p>And it looks like our boys are getting even closer now!</p><p>Please let me know how I did, and have a good one!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Instinct</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Renji goes on a walk with Ichimaru, who wants to try and reach an understanding with him, and both he and Byakuya are confused over their feelings towards one another. Meanwhile, Grimmjow reflects over the code of honour he'd created for the oni.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Here's Chapter 9. I'll admit, it gave me some difficulty, but I've managed to write it up now!</p><p>I hope you all enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>No matter what season it is, the mountains always get colder during the evenings. Whether it’s summer or winter, the cold chill that settles into the mountains at night can be unbearable for anyone travelling through the region.</p><p>However, the cold mountain air is of no concern to Grimmjow or the other oni. Not when there’s a huge fire that burns brightly in the center of the main cave chamber, one that radiates a very pleasant warmth that is a welcome comfort from the bitterly cold air outside.</p><p>Grimmjow sits upon a rock, eating a piece of game meat that has been roasted over the fire. While the meat is a bit tough, it’s definitely satisfying to tear into after a long day of training, especially since training always leaves him starving by the end of it.</p><p>As he finishes up with his meal, he suddenly detects the reiatsu of the group of oni he’d sent out, and before long, the group re-enters into the main cavern, all of them looking pretty roughed up for the most part. However, every single one of them has made it back, which is both a bit surprising but certainly not unwanted.</p><p>Already, he can tell that this Okami Leader definitely has a strong sense of honour if he doesn’t even kill any of the oni sent out after him.</p><p>“We have returned, Grimmjow-sama,” one of them says as they bow to him.</p><p>Grimmjow gets up, tossing the bones into the fire. “And? What happened?” he asks, walking towards them.</p><p>“We made sure to pass on the message,” another one tells him. “But as you can see, we got into a bit of a fight. The okami warriors are quite strong.”</p><p>“Even more, the Tengu Leader happened to be there,” the first one adds.</p><p><em> Wait… the Tengu Leader? </em> Grimmjow raises an eyebrow. Now this is definitely unexpected.</p><p>“The Tengu Leader? What was he doing there?” he asks.</p><p>“We don’t know,” a third oni responds. “But I think it’s worth noting that he and the Okami Leader seem to have gotten a bit closer. Almost as if they’re friends, in fact.”</p><p>Something about that is rather intriguing to Grimmjow. Why would the Okami Leader be willing to befriend the Tengu Leader, who is the head of one of the clans that ultimately betrayed the Okami Tribe one hundred years ago?</p><p>Well, that doesn’t matter right now. It’s time to get to the crux of this.</p><p>“Which one of them is the better fighter?” he asks.</p><p>“They are both strong,” the first oni responds. “However, their fighting styles are different. The Tengu Leader is cold and elegant, and seems to focus mostly on his magic as a fighting tactic. He would not be a good opponent for you.”</p><p>Grimmjow nods, feeling a little disappointed to hear that. But then again, the Tengu Leader has always had a reputation for being quick and to the point in battle. There’s no doubt that he’s a strong and powerful fighter, but there’s no way he can stand to fight someone with such an uptight way of fighting.</p><p>“Thanks for telling me that,” Grimmjow says, folding his arms across his chest. “But what about Abarai Renji, their leader? What kind of a fighter is he?”</p><p>He doesn’t say it out loud, but they already know the underlying meaning in his question: is he a good fighter?</p><p>And judging from the grins that the oni give each other, they have a good answer for him.</p><p>“I think you would have the most fun fighting Abarai Renji,” the first oni tells him.</p><p>“He uses magic, but he balances it with actual hand-to-hand combat as well,” another says. “Even more, he is fierce, vicious, and very much like a wolf.”</p><p>“And he has a strong sense of honour,” another one adds. “There’s a reason why he didn’t kill us, you know? He is fair not only to his own warriors, but also to his enemies in battle.”</p><p>A savage grin crosses Grimmjow’s face. </p><p>Good. That’s definitely excellent to hear. Not only is the Okami Leader a fierce and skilled fighter, but he’s also honourable and fair.</p><p>He’s everything one could ever wish for in an enemy.</p><p>“Excellent,” he says. “You all have done well. Now you’re dismissed.”</p><p>The group of oni bow to him and head over to the store of meat for their dinner.</p><p><em> Abarai Renji… </em> Grimmjow thinks, still very pleased. <em> Now that’s a nice name. I can’t wait to meet you on Hyakki Yagyo. </em></p><p>Right then, Yylfordt approaches him rather tentatively.</p><p>“You know, Grimmjow-sama,” he says, getting his attention. “I’ve always been curious about something.”</p><p>“What is it?” Grimmjow asks him.</p><p>“Well, you’ve developed such a strong code of honour for the oni,” Yylfordt tells him. “Your father never had any kind of code like that, so what made you create it?”</p><p>At that, Grimmjow just looks down as he recalls the memories that prompted him to create it.</p><p>It’s very true that his father had never imposed a code like that on the Oni Tribe whatsoever. But then again, his father had been a shameless monster with no sense of honour or integrity. He was a brutal, dogmatic, bloodthirsty oni who killed for the sake of killing, who believed in dominance over other youkai clans and tribes.</p><p>In fact, his father had been responsible for chasing out several youkai groups who had been living in the mountains at some point, since it was his way of showing who was stronger, more powerful. He’d reasoned that the only way to rule effectively was to rule with an iron fist, to show cruelty. That way, no one would even think of trying to go against their leader.</p><p>Right from a young age, however, Grimmjow had seen how his father’s strict and repressive leadership had only instilled hatred and anger not just in the oni, but in a lot of other youkai.</p><p>Honestly, it’s rather astonishing that his father hadn’t been overthrown and killed before his time.</p><p>Either way, his father had always been disdainful towards a code of honour. He’d always said that the oni had no need of “weaknesses” like honour, morality, integrity or rules. After all, they’re monsters, and they should be content to just kill.</p><p>However, his father is very wrong.</p><p>Grimmjow has come to notice just how much his code of honour is respected among the oni, who are not all violent and savage monsters. He’d even dare to say that it’s what has made him so revered and looked up to among the oni.</p><p>In spite of his strength and vicious nature, Grimmjow knows how to be fair to others, what it means to have true honour.</p><p>“You know what kind of a man my father was,” he says at last. “He’d thought that to have true power means to strike fear into the hearts of allies and enemies alike, to be cruel and merciless towards your own kind.”</p><p>Grimmjow clenches his fist. “But he was wrong,” he continues. “True power is not just about strength. It’s about honour. My father never understood how important honour is, and that’s why he was hated by everyone.”</p><p>Yylfordt smirks slightly. “I’ll bet your father is just rolling in his grave now,” he says.</p><p>At that, Grimmjow just laughs. “What do I care about that son of a bitch?” he says nonchalantly. “He can roll around all he wants. Doesn’t change the fact that no one liked him.”</p><p>He closes his eyes. “To have true power is to know when to be merciful, and when to be ruthless,” he says. “I will show all of Ashihara just what true power is really like, which the old man was never able to do.”</p><p>However, as he says that, he feels a weird ache in his heart. And he can’t help but find himself a little conflicted over his promise.</p><p>
  <em> Am I doing this for myself? Or is it for the sake of what has been beaten into me? </em>
</p><p>Grimmjow looks down, feeling a little unnerved by this sudden thought. Nevertheless, he banishes such doubts immediately and hardens his resolve.</p><p>Nothing is going to make him change his mind. He will do everything his old man had failed at.</p><p>He’ll be the greatest Oni Leader anyone has ever seen, and nothing will get in the way of that.</p><hr/><p>This is the first time Renji is getting a look at the library of the Kuchiki Manor, and it has quite an impressive collection of books. Even more, it has a quiet tsuke-shoin area with two desk ledges, allowing two people to sit in the same area and read or study.</p><p>Or in this case, for two people to write poems for an upcoming poetry event.</p><p>A couple of days have passed since Renji has accepted the invitation to the poetry event at the Hogyoku-ji shrine, and now both he and Byakuya are writing poems to read at the event. Of course, Byakuya writes his poems in the elegant and sophisticated waka form of the Tengu Clan, and Renji writes his poems in the form of haiku.</p><p>To be honest, Renji really hadn’t expected to accept Ichimaru’s invitation just like that, and he’s not too sure why he did so. A part of him believes that this will make it easier to mend fences with the Kitsune Clan, but another part of him just wants to read some poetry to others.</p><p>After all, when most people look at him, they see only his fighting skills and fierce appearance. What they don’t see is how cultured he is, how skilled he is in writing haiku poetry, and how knowledgeable he is in okami literature.</p><p>Perhaps this event will be a good way of re-introducing okami culture back into Ashihara, and what better way to reintroduce culture than through poetry?</p><p>As Renji writes out his haiku poems onto parchment, he glances over at Byakuya, who sits elegantly at his desk and writes so gracefully. A quick glance onto his sheet has Renji seeing some of the most beautiful calligraphy he’s ever seen in his life.</p><p><em> Why does everything about you have to be so perfect? </em> Renji wonders.</p><p>Feeling a little self-conscious, he glances down at his own writing, which is definitely not as refined or beautiful. If anything, his writing skills are a bit rougher and need some polishing, but it’s still readable for the most part.</p><p>Every now and then, he and Byakuya talk a little, but they mostly remain quiet as they continue writing their poems for the event.</p><p>And after some time, Renji slowly notices that his haiku poems have a rather consistent theme in them. Some of them are about a warrior’s honour, about the glory of battle, and other poems are focused on the gentle beauty of things like flowers, landscapes, the forest, and even about a sakura tree.</p><p>Without a doubt, all of these poems have somehow been inspired by Kuchiki Byakuya himself.</p><p>This past while, Renji has found himself completely enchanted by the Tengu Leader; a long way from how suspicious and hesitant he’d been towards him at first. </p><p>Why he feels so enchanted with him, he has no idea whatsoever. Is it really right for him to feel like this over Byakuya? How would he feel if he knew how Renji feels about him?</p><p>Before Renji can contemplate this any further, he hears a soft knock on the shoji door of the library, prompting both him and Byakuya to look up.</p><p>“Come in,” Byakuya says.</p><p>The door slides open, and a servant bows in the doorway. “Pardon my interruption,” he says. “Abarai-sama, there is a visitor for you at the karamon. It’s Ichimaru-sama.”</p><p>Renji raises an eyebrow, feeling curious at this sudden development. Even Byakuya looks somewhat bemused.</p><p>What is Ichimaru doing here? Why would he want to see him?</p><p>“Abarai-sama?” the servant asks, interrupting Renji’s thoughts.</p><p>“A-Ah… right…” Renji says, getting up from his cushion. “I’ll come out and speak with him.”</p><p>“Good luck, Abarai,” Byakuya tells him.</p><p>Renji glances back at him, his ears twitching slightly. “Thank you,” he says.</p><p>He follows the servant outside to the karamon, where Ichimaru is waiting for him. And as always, his eyes are closed and he still has that fox-like smile upon his face.</p><p>To be honest, Renji isn’t sure why Ichimaru is always looking like that, especially if he’s trying to earn his trust again.</p><p>Ichimaru waves in a seemingly friendly manner. “Yo, Abarai-kun!” he greets. “How’s it goin’ for ya?”</p><p>“It’s… good, I guess…” Renji says, frowning slightly.</p><p>Ichimaru’s smile seems to grow a little wider at that.</p><p>“How ‘bout you and I go on a walk?” he offers.</p><p>Renji can’t help but feel a bit suspicious. “A walk?” he repeats.</p><p>“Don’t worry, Abarai-kun,” Ichimaru tries to reassure. “Nothing’s gonna happen to ya. It’s just a walk for the two of us, so we can try and bury the hatchet.”</p><p>At that, Renji recalls the promise he’d made to Matsumoto Rangiku not too long ago. He’d promised to give Ichimaru a chance to make amends, so he should accept this offer. And who knows? Maybe they might actually reach some kind of understanding on this walk.</p><p>But Ichimaru better not try anything weird on him. Or else that’s it.</p><p>“Alright then,” Renji says, albeit reluctantly. “Let’s go on a walk.”</p><p>“Wonderful!” Ichimaru says. “Now then, follow me.”</p><p>Renji nods slowly before following Ichimaru out of the manor complex and onto the streets.</p><p>For the most part, the walk is silent as they head down the streets of Kizokugai in the direction of Sabitsura, the district of the Kitsune Clan.</p><p>When they enter into Sabitsura, however, Renji can feel the stares upon him, and he feels himself tensing up as he looks around the area.</p><p>Compared to Kizokugai, Junrinan, and the Hokutan district of the Bakeneko Clan, the Sabitsura district is a bit more subdued in opulence. It has a more middle-class kind of atmosphere, but it’s definitely still very nice to look at.</p><p>Even so, not even that is enough to distract Renji from the stares of the other kitsune.</p><p>“Don’t mind ‘em,” Ichimaru tells him. “They’re just curious as to what you’re doing here.”</p><p>As if that’s supposed to make him feel more reassured. Nevertheless, he carries himself with a firm disposition and keeps his eyes forward to avoid letting their stares get to him.</p><p>“Where are we going?” Renji asks.</p><p>“Oh, you’ll see,” Ichimaru simply says. “It’s an important place that I think you should know of. It’s quite relevant to the history between the Kitsune Clan and the Okami Tribe, so I thought it would help break the ice if I were to show it to you.”</p><p>Renji raises an eyebrow, but says nothing.</p><p>What exactly is this place that he’s talking about? Is it really that significant to the history between the okami and the kitsune?</p><p>Either way, hopefully this visit ends well for them both.</p><p>After a while of walking, Renji notices that they’re gradually leaving the Sabitsura neighbourhood and heading in the direction of a hilly area now. It’s a little bit of a steep climb, but it’s nothing that he’s not used to.</p><p>The hill is rather grassy, and as they climb further up, Renji gradually starts to see something at the top.</p><p>“This is the place?” he asks.</p><p>“Yes it is,” Ichimaru says, glancing at him briefly.</p><p>At last, they finally reach the top of the hill, and Renji gets a good look at what is situated there.</p><p>The hill overlooks a rather pretty inlet that leads out into a lagoon of sorts, but that’s not what gets his attention. On the top of the hill are some kind of ruins, most likely the ruins of a large castle.</p><p>From what Renji can see, this building had once been huge, but all that remains now are some stone wall remnants from the main building and the ramparts. The walls are half covered in moss and dirt, and look worn from being there for many centuries now.</p><p>“What kind of remains are these?” Renji asks.</p><p>Ichimaru turns to him. “These are the ruins of the castle of the Kitsune Leader from the ancient period,” he says. “Even more, this was also the site of a major battle.”</p><p>Renji looks at him curiously. “You mean the Kitsune Leader used to live in a castle?”</p><p>“Yeah, at least until it was destroyed,” Ichimaru says. “But like I was saying, this had been one of the sites of combat during the battle against Shuten Douji.”</p><p>At that, Renji can’t help but feel a little surprised as he folds his arms across his chest.</p><p>“So why’d you bring me here?” he asks.</p><p>“Consider it to be somewhat of a history lesson,” Ichimaru tells him. “Rather… it’s an important part of history that I’ve recently read about, and I believed it was important to share with you.”</p><p>Again, Renji feels curious. “And?”</p><p>“Well, the particular battle that had been fought here, it had been an important turning point in the battle against Shuten Douji.” Ichimaru runs his fingers against the mossy walls. “Both the Kitsune Clan and the Okami Tribe had worked together in battling one of Shuten Douji’s strongest warriors, Kidomaru.”</p><p>Renji frowns slightly. He vaguely remembers his tutor planning on teaching him the history of the battle against Kidomaru back then… before the slaughter had taken place. But in the end, they’d never gotten to that point.</p><p>Ichimaru then turns to him. “The fight against Kidomaru had been one of the most brutal battles ever fought,” he says. “The Kitsune Leader and his samurai had been ambushed here, and the ensuing fight resulted in the destruction of the castle and several surrounding areas.”</p><p>“I can imagine,” Renji murmurs.</p><p>If all that remains here are walls, then it had definitely been quite a destructive battle.</p><p>“The Kitsune Leader had struggled in this battle,” Ichimaru continues. “But just as things had looked bleak, that was when the Okami Leader and his warriors had intervened. His arrival helped turn the tables, and together, both the Kitsune and Okami Leaders managed to kill Kidomaru.”</p><p>Renji blinks in surprise. He almost can’t believe what he’s hearing, but there’s no doubting it.</p><p>“I had no idea…” he says.</p><p>“After that particular fight, the Kitsune Clan and Okami Tribe had become strong allies with one another,” Ichimaru concludes. “That was why I wanted to show you this place. It has great importance regarding the relations between the kitsune and okami.”</p><p>A bitter smile crosses Renji’s face. “It’s too bad that things had to take a change for the worse,” he remarks. “But why? If the okami and kitsune had such strong friendship, how the hell could that leader be willing to kill us one hundred years ago?”</p><p>Ichimaru shrugs. “I don’t know,” he says. “When I learned about my ancestor’s actions, I was just as disgusted. I certainly don’t want anything like this to happen again.”</p><p>Silence hangs in the air for a moment before he speaks again.</p><p>“Abarai-kun… now that I have told you this story, I was wondering if you think you’d be able to trust me in the future?” he asks.</p><p>Renji looks down, mulling over Ichimaru’s question. “I suppose it all depends on what happens in the days leading up to Hyakki Yagyo,” he concedes.</p><p>Deep down, however, he has a feeling that there is a chance to trust him in any future battle.</p><p>He looks up, and for the first time since coming back into Ashihara, he gives Ichimaru a faint smile.</p><p>“Thank you for showing me this place,” he says. “I truly appreciate it.”</p><p>Ichimaru nods. “It’s no problem, Abarai-kun,” he says with his usual smile. “It was a good talk.”</p><p>Renji nods in agreement. “Yeah, it was.”</p><p>Perhaps there really is some hope to mend fences with the Kitsune Clan now.</p><hr/><p>One of the benefits of living in a manor like this is having a private onsen to bathe in, rather than going to a public sento. And after a vigorous training session, there’s nothing better than a nice soak in the hot waters of the onsen as a way of relaxing at the end of the day.</p><p>After washing himself off, Byakuya wraps a towel around his waist and heads to the onsen outside, droplets of water dripping from his feathers as he opens the door.</p><p>The onsen is one of the best features of the Kuchiki Manor, and Byakuya’s favourite one, if he’s being honest. It’s shielded by a large bamboo screen that keeps it concealed for the most part, allowing for plenty of privacy for bathers, but it also has a nice view of the gardens as well.</p><p>And for the onsen spring, it’s a large pool with pristine waters that appear almost blue. Decorating the edge are large rocks, and bamboo plants grow near the area as well. Soft glowing lanterns hang from the edge of the roof, and steam drifts through the evening air.</p><p>Byakuya closes his eyes and inhales the air before gracefully stepping into the warm waters with a sigh.</p><p>As he relaxes in the waters, he makes sure to periodically wipe his face with a cold towel. But for the most part, he is content to just be at peace and admire the natural furnishings of the onsen.</p><p>Right then, he senses Renji’s reiatsu outside, prompting him to move up to the bamboo screen and curiously peer around the corner to see what he’s doing.</p><p>Renji is coming from the direction of the guest house, and he heads into the gardens over to the willow tree near the koi pond. Then, he sits down on the ground, getting into a meditative position as he straightens his back, and closes his eyes.</p><p>Byakuya finds himself watching the scene in fascination. He had no idea that Renji liked to meditate. </p><p><em> He looks so… peaceful. </em>He observes.</p><p>Somehow, he feels his cheeks growing warm, and it’s definitely not from the onsen.</p><p>These past few days, he’s been feeling so strange over Renji, and he doesn’t know why. He hasn’t felt like this since Hisana, and he doesn’t know how he should react to this, honestly. Why is he so attracted to Renji? What is it about him that is so fascinating?</p><p>Whatever it is, all Byakuya knows is that what he feels right now is definitely more than a simple camaraderie.</p><p>After some time in the onsen, Byakuya gets up and heads inside. After drying off, he changes into one of his many patterned silk yukata he only ever wears at home. Tonight’s yukata is a deep-blue one with white cranes in flight printed on the silk.</p><p>Once he’s tied the heko obi, he heads outside to the engawa porch that overlooks the gardens, particularly the willow tree where Renji is meditating.</p><p>And for a moment, everything is absolutely perfect.</p><p>But then that perfection is shattered when Byakuya notices how the leaves of the willow tree are rustling.</p><p>Frowning slightly, he gets up and steps down before slowly making his way to that part of the garden. But as he nears the tree, that’s when he senses it.</p><p>A dark, ominous reiatsu.</p><p>
  <em> Could it really be? </em>
</p><p>But that’s impossible! No oni should be able to enter his garden!</p><p>And then, he sees it for himself.</p><p>Clambering down from the willow tree, an oni wields his kanabo club with a vicious smile as he crawls over to where Renji meditates.</p><p>Byakuya’s eyes widen slightly in shock as he notices that Renji is actually starting to come out of his meditation, and that he doesn’t even notice the oni’s presence.</p><p>“Abarai…” he says, his voice rising slightly.</p><p>Before he even knows what he’s doing, his wings are carrying him over to the willow tree. He doesn’t even have his shakujo staff right now, what is he supposed to do?</p><p>“Abarai!” Byakuya calls a bit louder, just as Renji turns around to see the oni behind him.</p><p>The oni lets out a hideously triumphant snarl as he prepares to bring down his kanabo club onto Renji, who is too surprised to even think of defending himself.</p><p>And then, before Byakuya realizes, he finds himself jumping in front of Renji, right as the oni brings down the kanabo club onto him.</p><p>“Kuchiki!” Renji shouts, horrified.</p><p>Pain surges through Byakuya’s body as the spikes land forcefully upon the feathers on his shoulders, the force of the blow sending him to the ground as he closes his eyes.</p><p>Despite the pain, Byakuya slowly opens his eyes to see Renji looking completely surprised, before he turns his attention onto the oni.</p><p>“You…” he snarls. </p><p>He swipes his claws over the oni’s face, making the creature shriek hideously as it flails about, before turning to the manor and karamon.</p><p>“Guards! Come on over here! Your clan leader is injured!” Renji shouts urgently. “We have an oni in the gardens!”</p><p>Byakuya grits his teeth against the searing pain, and he closes his eyes as black starts to creep into his vision.</p><p>The last thing he registers are the gasps and alarmed instructions among the servants as they gingerly lift him up from the ground.</p><p>And then, his mind succumbs to unconsciousness.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Let's just say that this incident will change things between Renji and Byakuya now, and it will be a pretty major change ;) And we'll definitely see this during the poetry event in the next chapter!</p><p>Please let me know how I did, and have a good one!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. A Deeper Level</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Both Byakuya and Renji find their feelings for one another deepening even further following the incident with the oni in the garden. And when the poetry event finally comes, they're ready to explore their feelings on a more deeper level than before.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is one of the sweetest, most heart-melting things I've ever written in my life. I have to admit, I really blushed when writing the part towards the end.</p><p>I hope you all enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The first thing that Byakuya registers as his consciousness comes back is the feeling of the clan doctor tending to the wounds on his shoulders. The feathers on his shoulders feel quite sore, but when he opens his eyes, he notices that they don’t appear to be too badly damaged, fortunately enough.</p><p>Right then, the doctor notices that he’s awake and sighs in relief.</p><p>“Thank goodness you’re awake, Kuchiki-sama,” he says. “I’ve just finished treating your injuries.”</p><p>Byakuya nods slowly. “How bad are they?”</p><p>“Your feathers are fine,” the doctor tells him. The spikes of an oni’s kanabo club can be quite lethal to a tengu of lesser strength, but because of your level of strength and reiatsu, you will be quick to recover.”</p><p>“Thank you,” Byakuya says. </p><p>What happened to that oni, though? Hopefully Renji and the guards have managed to get rid of him safely enough.</p><p>“I shall leave you to rest now,” the doctor says, rising to his feet. “Please do not strain yourself, my lord.”</p><p>Byakuya nods absentmindedly as he listens to the shoji door sliding open and shut.</p><p>Right then, the door slides open again, and this time, Rukia comes rushing into the room, a look of worry upon her face.</p><p>“Nii-sama!” she cries in relief. “Oh, you’re alright! I heard about how you got injured and I was so worried!”</p><p>At this, Byakuya’s heart softens slightly as he watches her slowly kneel beside the futon.</p><p>“I’m very much alright, Rukia,” he reassures her.</p><p>“Renji told me everything,” Rukia says, still looking disbelieving. “What were you thinking, Nii-sama? That was so reckless of you!”</p><p>Indeed, it was. Byakuya has no idea just what possessed him to jump in front of Renji and take the blow like that, but either way, it’s already happened.</p><p>He recalls how Renji had clearly been caught off-guard by the oni, and considering how he’d been coming out of meditation, he’d been unprepared as well.</p><p>“What happened to the oni?” Byakuya asks. “Did they manage to deal with him?”</p><p>“The last I’d heard, Renji had managed to subdue him with the help of some of his warriors and the guards,” Rukia says quietly. “Most likely, they’ve gotten everything under control now.”</p><p>And again, there’s a knock on the door that gets both their attention.</p><p>“May I come in?” It’s Renji, and his voice sounds unusually quiet and solemn.</p><p>Rukia rises to her feet, giving Byakuya a gentle smile. “Rest well, Nii-sama,” she says. “Hopefully you’ll get better soon.”</p><p>She makes her way to the door and steps outside, allowing Renji to enter, looking no worse for wear.</p><p>He has a grim expression on his face as he approaches the futon, but when he kneels beside it, that’s when Byakuya realizes that his expression is one of worry, anger, and confusion.</p><p>As he takes in the sight of Byakuya in the futon, however, his eyes soften ever so slightly.</p><p>“Abarai…” Byakuya says, a little unsure. “What’s the situation like?”</p><p>“The oni’s been taken care of,” Renji says, his voice clipped. “We’ve roughed him up and sent him back into the forest. He won’t be coming here again any time soon, Kuchiki.”</p><p>Then, his eyes harden as he regards Byakuya with anger, guilt, and worry. “What the hell were you thinking, Kuchiki?” he demands. “That was pretty damn reckless for you to take that blow from the oni!”</p><p><em> Like you’re one to talk… </em>Byakuya thinks to himself. After all, he’s done the same thing twice now, hasn’t he?</p><p>“Haven’t you done that twice now?” Byakuya points out. “So you shouldn’t be calling me reckless.”</p><p>Renji just averts his eyes before nodding begrudgingly. “I… I guess…” he mutters. “But why did you do it?”</p><p>Now, Byakuya just looks down at his hands as he ponders over why he’d done it.</p><p>Like he’d said before, Renji has done this twice: once for Rukia, and again for him. Isn’t it fair to return the favour like this? But then again, this was incredibly reckless, especially since Renji is a capable fighter.</p><p>But at the time, all Byakuya had thought of was intervening before Renji could get hurt, or even worse, killed.</p><p>“I… I didn’t want you to get hurt,” Byakuya confesses at last. “And perhaps you could say that I had been returning the favour.”</p><p>Renji regards him in surprise now, and the guilt slowly disappears, much to Byakuya’s relief.</p><p>“Well… thank you for that,” he says hesitantly.</p><p>That’s when Byakuya feels Renji’s concerned gaze upon the feathers on his shoulders. “Are your feathers alright?” he asks.</p><p>Byakuya’s heart flutters over the sincere concern in Renji’s voice. And then, what he says next surprises even himself.</p><p>“They’re fine. But if you want to feel for yourself, then you may touch them,” he tells him.</p><p>Likewise, Renji is just as surprised to hear this, and looks a little hesitant. “Are… Are you sure?” he asks.</p><p>“I gave you permission, did I not?” Byakuya asks, a little bit of his usual aloof tone coming back. “To touch my feathers is a rare privilege that not everyone has. Consider it a rare opportunity for you to feel a tengu’s feathers.”</p><p>“R-Right…”</p><p>Again, Renji seems to hesitate again, before finally making his decision by slowly reaching out to the feathers on Byakuya’s shoulders. He pauses for a brief moment again, before finally stroking his fingers through the feathers with surprising tenderness.</p><p>Byakuya inhales softly as he closes his eyes, marvelling over how Renji’s fingers are so gentle, so careful in brushing them. His feathers have always been incredibly sensitive to touch, which is why he only allows those closest to him to touch his feathers and wings.</p><p>But Renji’s fingers… even though he has claws upon them, he’s being so careful in handling his feathers, and just feeling his fingers makes his cheeks heat up even more than ever.</p><p>“S-Sorry… are your feathers sensitive?” Renji asks gently.</p><p>“They are…” Byakuya murmurs. “But it’s fine.”</p><p>Generally, a tengu’s feathers are rather sensitive to touch, and they always have to be carefully protected. Byakuya wonders if Renji understands how significant it is that he’s allowing him to touch his feathers right now.</p><p>With a nod, Renji runs his fingers through them again before withdrawing his hand. “Your feathers are so soft,” he says, clearly fascinated. “And they’re so beautiful as well.”</p><p>Byakuya looks at him, his cheeks heating up again. “You think they’re beautiful?” he repeats.</p><p>It’s not the first time he’s heard someone call his wings ‘beautiful’, but it’s the first time in a long while that he’s gotten flustered over it.</p><p>Renji nods, smiling gently. “They are,” he says. “Even though I’d been a bit wary in the beginning, I’ve always thought that your feathers and wings are incredibly beautiful.”</p><p>“How so?” Byakuya asks, his heart beating a little faster.</p><p>“The way they seem to shine green and purple under a certain light, you know?” Renji points out. “And they have a very unique scent as well. It smells like… like a night flower.”</p><p>Why do Renji’s words make him feel so flustered? Why is he feeling like a shy young boy all over again?</p><p>But to learn that his feathers have fascinated Renji, even when he’d been wary of him at first… it’s actually rather flattering.</p><p>Byakuya glances at Renji again, taking note of those jagged tattoos that mark his powerful body and how striking they look upon him.</p><p>“I suppose I could say the same for you, Abarai,” Byakuya says, feeling shy again.</p><p>Renji raises his eyebrows. “What do you mean?” he asks, his ears twitching slightly.</p><p>“Well, right from the beginning, I’ve always been fascinated by your tattoos and your hair,” Byakuya confesses. “I’ve never seen anything like it before.”</p><p>This time, it’s Renji’s turn to blush, with his cheeks turning quite a noticeable shade of pink, much to Byakuya’s amusement.</p><p>“Er… thank you…?” he says, clearly unsure as to how to respond.</p><p>Byakuya can’t help the soft chuckle that escapes from him. “But I am serious, Abarai,” he says. “Your hair and tattoos complement each other quite well.”</p><p>Now, Renji’s blush visibly deepens as he looks down shyly. “Thank you…” he murmurs.</p><p>And again, in spite of his rough and dangerous appearance, Renji looks so sweet and strangely adorable right now; a sharp contrast that is unusually fascinating for Byakuya.</p><p>In this moment, it’s as if something has changed between the both of them now. How this change came about, Byakuya doesn’t know. Maybe it’s because of him taking a blow in Renji’s place, or maybe it’s something else, but either way, he can tell that things are going to be a lot more different between them.</p><p>And honestly, he looks forward to seeing what the future holds for them both.</p><hr/><p>Even after the rather troubling incidents with the oni, life continues on as always in Ashihara, as everyone prepares not only for Hyakki Yagyo, but also for other events taking place. And at last, the eve of the poetry event at the Hogyoku-ji shrine has arrived.</p><p>Renji leads Komamura and the warriors down the streets of Junrinan in the direction of the shrine, and he can practically feel how excited his warriors are. After all, they also have an opportunity to show off their poetry skills to everyone else, and have worked hard on their haiku poems as well.</p><p>“You’ve seen the Hogyoku-ji shrine before, haven’t you?” Komamura says, getting Renji’s attention. “What is it like?”</p><p>At that, Renji nods. “Well, it’s said to appear as though it’s floating during the high tide,” he says. “As for the complex itself, it’s quite pretty.”</p><p>That’s when he notices how Rikichi looks both eager yet shy at the same time. “You okay, Rikichi?” he asks.</p><p>Rikichi nods shyly. “As okay as I can be, I guess…” he says. “This girl, Risako… she said she’d be there, and I really want to impress her with my haiku.”</p><p>Renji smiles fondly, recalling that night when he’d seen Rikichi and the tengu girl Risako together. “Well, just be confident,” he reassures him. “Don’t rush, take your time, and be yourself. I’m sure she’ll love your haiku.”</p><p>Now, Rikichi looks a bit more confident. “Thanks, Abarai-san,” he says gratefully.</p><p>“No problem,” Renji tells him.</p><p>They continue walking down the streets for a bit longer until they eventually near the Hogyoku-ji shrine complex.</p><p>By now, the sun is beginning to make its way to the horizon, and its rays reflect on the waters of the high tide that surround the shrine buildings and the torii gate. Renji finds himself pausing for a moment to take in the beauty of the scene before him, having never seen anything like it in his life.</p><p>Shiba Kaien was right. Hogyoku-ji really is beautiful during the high tide.</p><p>“Oh wow…” Rikichi whispers. “You're right, Abarai-san. It looks like it’s floating on the water!”</p><p>“Yep,” Renji says jovially. “That’s why it was built like that.”</p><p>Something about the evening air has him in high spirits right now. Is it the beauty of the shrine and gate in the water? Is it the beauty of the evening sun? Or is it the anticipation of reading his haiku poems out to an audience against this gorgeous backdrop?</p><p>Whatever the reason it is, he’s never felt this alive until now.</p><p>Near the entrance, a group of street vendors sell some snacks to those who are attending the event. Renji is a little surprised to see this, but he doesn’t stop his interested warriors from buying some food.</p><p>As they enter the temple and make their way to the open-air deck with the elevated stage, Renji can hear the sounds of conversations coming from the deck area. In fact, the whole atmosphere is rather lively and excited right now.</p><p>When they reach the open-air deck, Renji is surprised at how many youkai have shown up for this event.</p><p><em> I had no idea poetry reading was something everyone liked to show up for… </em>Renji thinks.</p><p>“Ah, Abarai-san!” Right then, Rangiku approaches him with a smile. “Glad to see you’ve decided to show up!”</p><p>Renji smiles back. “Well, it would be rude to turn it down,” he says. “And besides, I thought it would be nice to share some of our poetry with everyone here.”</p><p>“Well, just so you know, the Tengu Leader has saved a seat for you and your warriors,” Rangiku informs him. “I’ll come and show you.”</p><p>“Alright.”</p><p>He, Komamura, and the warriors follow Rangiku down to a spot on the deck that overlooks the torii gate in the water, and it has a pretty pleasant view of the elevated stage as well.</p><p>And sure enough, both Byakuya and Rukia are seated on two zabuton cushions, their masks over their faces as always. For a moment, Renji finds himself struck as he stares at the way Byakuya’s wings and healed feathers shimmer slightly in the evening light, looking almost green and purple.</p><p>It’s truly a beautiful sight.</p><p>As if sensing Renji’s presence, Byakuya glances over and gives him a nod.</p><p>Right then, a pretty tengu woman perks up as she looks in their direction, and waves eagerly. “Rikichi!” she calls with a smile.</p><p>Rikichi straightens up and smiles back. “Hey, Risako-san!” he says, rushing over to her. “It’s so good to see you again!”</p><p>Watching this, Renji can’t help but chuckle. “Alright, now he’s gotten his spot,” he says. “Let’s get to ours.”</p><p>With that, they all head to their seats and sit down, with Renji’s seat happening to be near Byakuya.</p><p>“How are you doing, Kuchiki?” Renji asks casually. “Are your feathers healing well?”</p><p>Byakuya nods. “They are, for the most part,” he says. “Thank you for your concern, Abarai. Are you ready for poetry reading?”</p><p>“I guess I am,” Renji responds with a shrug. “Maybe I’m a little nervous, but I’m looking forward to it. What about you?”</p><p>“I also look forward to it,” Byakuya says evenly. “There’s nothing more relaxing than listening to poetry on a lovely evening like this.”</p><p>“Oh? So you’d also like to listen to our poetry as well?” Shihouin says, striding up to them with a catlike smile.</p><p>Byakuya tenses up visibly. “I won’t respond to that, Demon Cat,” he says.</p><p>“How dare you?!” A shorter young bakeneko woman admonishes, her harsh eyes glaring at Byakuya. “Yoruichi-sama deserves to be treated with utmost respect!”</p><p>“That’s alright, Soifon,” Shihouin reassures her. “It’s not Byakuya-bou’s fault that he can’t appreciate bakeneko poetry.”</p><p>As Shihouin and Soifon leave to take their places elsewhere, Renji just looks at him questioningly.</p><p>“You okay?” he asks.</p><p>“Definitely not,” Byakuya says tersely. “I don’t know why she insists on being so disrespectful to me.”</p><p>Rukia just smiles apologetically at Renji. “Nii-sama got teased a lot by Shihouin-sama when he was young,” she explains. “He only ever limits himself to interacting with her when it’s absolutely necessary.”</p><p>“But what about the poetry?”</p><p>“It’s not that I don’t appreciate bakeneko poetry,” Byakuya says curtly. “It’s just a bit too crude for my liking.”</p><p>Right then, Shiba Kaien shows up, smiling at Renji.</p><p>“Hey, Abarai!” he greets. “Great to see you here!”</p><p>“Nice to see you too,” Renji says with a smile. “You were right about the shrine. It really looks beautiful during the high tide.”</p><p>Shiba gives him a knowing grin. “See? What’d I tell ya?” he says teasingly. “Anyways, I can’t wait to hear you okami read some of your poems.”</p><p>“And we look forward to hearing those of the raiju,” Renji tells him sincerely.</p><p>After some time, all the other youkai settle down in their places as the poetry event begins. Going up first are the kitsune participants, with Ichimaru being the first one to take the stage.</p><p>Upon the elevated stage, Ichimaru smiles at everyone.</p><p>“Good evening, everyone,” he greets. “Welcome to tonight’s Hogyoku-ji poetry event.”</p><p>Everyone politely applauds, including Renji.</p><p>“Tonight, we have a rather unique poetry reading from the okami themselves,” Ichimaru continues. “This will be the first time in one hundred years since the okami last took part in a poetry night. So let us welcome Abarai Renji and his pack of warriors!”</p><p>Again, everyone applauds warmly, and Renji just looks down, feeling a little bit awkward at having the attention on him so suddenly.</p><p>Fortunately, the applause dies down quickly enough, allowing the event to start officially.</p><p>“Thank you,” Ichimaru says. “Now, it is my privilege to be able to open the poetry night. I shall be reading my own poems, written in the senryu style of the kitsune.”</p><p>With that, he takes out his written poems and prepares himself before reading aloud, speaking in a clear voice.</p><p>Ichimaru’s poems, true to the senryu style, are cynical and satirical, and he even reads them in a sardonic tone. While Renji has never been one for darkly cynical poetry (if he wants cynicism, he just has to look at his life since one hundred years ago), he is able to appreciate the clever wit and skill in how they’ve been written.</p><p>After Ichimaru finishes, his new second-in-command, Kira Izuru, comes up to read his own poems.</p><p>Kira’s poems prove to be incredibly well-written, especially in how satirical they are in tone, and even the way he reads them out loud puts him on the same level as Ichimaru. He seems rather soft-spoken for the most part, but definitely articulate and well-read.</p><p>Eventually, the kitsune participants finish up with their poems, and now it’s time for the bakeneko participants to share their verses.</p><p>First is Shihouin, who smiles much too eagerly as she steps up on the elevated stage.</p><p>“It’s an honour to be here tonight, and to allow us bakeneko to share our poetic talents with the rest of you lovely youkai,” she says. “I hope you all enjoy our poems.”</p><p>With that same catlike smile, she gets her sheets ready before starting to read them out loud.</p><p>The first poem she reads makes Renji fluster quite a bit as his cheeks grow warm. In fact, several of the okami warriors also look rather surprised at how bawdy the subject matter is.</p><p>He’s never heard anything so suggestive before, especially anything so suggestive that it makes him blush. Just how bold is Shihouin Yoruichi to read poems filled with very suggestive innuendo out loud?</p><p>But then again, bakeneko poetry is known for being quite bawdy.</p><p>No wonder Byakuya seems rather uncomfortable right now.</p><p>To try and alleviate some of his discomfort, Renji just takes a look around the scenery of the shrine complex.</p><p>The torii gate appears to be floating in the high tide, its vermillion colour now appearing fiery orange-red in the evening light. Honestly, it’s one of the most stunning things that Renji has ever seen in his life.</p><p>He then glances over at Rikichi, who is shyly flirting with Risako, the tengu girl whom he’s taken a liking to. Much to Renji’s amusement, Rikichi is just holding Risako’s hand, kissing her fingertips every now and then, making her blush and giggle shyly.</p><p><em> Those two… </em>Renji thinks fondly.</p><p>Yet for some reason, something about the way those two look at one another… somehow, it resonates within him.</p><p>Slowly, he turns his attention to Byakuya, only to be completely transfixed by what he sees right now.</p><p>Byakuya sits in perfect seiza, his iridescent wings shimmering beneath the evening light. Even more, the way the light of the setting sun shines upon him… it makes him look so… exquisite.</p><p>
  <em> If only your mask was off… I’d love to see how the evening light would shine in your eyes. </em>
</p><p>Eventually, the bakeneko participants finish with their poems. Now, it’s time for the tengu participants to share their verses.</p><p>Surprisingly, Rukia is the first one to go up to the elevated stage. Her poems are elegant and graceful, as is the style of tengu poetry, and her voice is clear as she reads them out loud.</p><p>Then at last, after several more readers have finished, it’s now Byakuya’s turn to recite.</p><p>Byakuya reads his poems in that velvety baritone voice of his, and something about his voice sends a pleasant thrill down Renji’s spine. His poems are so elegant, so masterfully written and recited, and they evoke beautiful images in his mind.</p><p>But as Byakuya reads, Renji’s mind goes back to the mask, and what his eyes look like in this moment.</p><p>What is Byakuya like beneath that mask? And not just the mask that covers his eyes; what is he like beneath the mask that covers his true self?</p><p>Renji knows that there’s a fire in Byakuya’s soul; he’d already gotten a glimpse of it when he’d saved him from the oni the other day. But will he be willing to remove that mask for Renji?</p><p><em> I wanna see you without that mask, Kuchiki Byakuya. </em> He thinks. <em> Would you remove it for me, if I were to open up to you? </em></p><p>Honestly, his feelings are still very confusing. Even so, perhaps they’re worth exploring a bit deeper, especially if Byakuya will treat him well.</p><p>
  <em> Let me in, Kuchiki… let me in, and I’ll open up to you as well. </em>
</p><hr/><p>Shortly after he’s finished reading his poems, Byakuya leaves the stage to allow Shiba Kaien and the raiju to share their poetry.</p><p>But as he takes his seat, he notices that Renji looks a little troubled, and he can’t help but wonder what he’s thinking about right now. Just what is troubling him like this? How can he help him, if he can?</p><p>Even more, would Renji be willing to accept his help?</p><p>There is still a bit of tension between the okami and the rest of the Ruling Clans, but he’s been doing pretty well with Renji these days. But is Renji willing to let him in and trust him on a deeper level than now?</p><p>His thoughts are interrupted when he hears applause, and he snaps out of his thoughts to see that the raiju have finished already.</p><p>And now, Renji is taking the stage.</p><p>After a brief introduction and expression of gratitude, he gets out his sheets of poems, and starts to read.</p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em> “A quiet, cold night </em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em> Howls echo in the forest</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em> The wolves are hungry.” </em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>Byakuya finds himself amazed.</p><p>Such a simple poem, and yet it evokes such vivid, stunning imagery in his mind. He can almost see that quiet forest in the night, can almost hear the wolves howling.</p><p>As Renji continues to read his haiku poems, Byakuya notices a running theme in all of them.</p><p>They’re mainly focused on war or nature, each one simple yet evocative, and it’s clear that a lot of thought has been put into each haiku. And listening to him right now, Byakuya finds himself musing on how Abarai Renji has found yet another way to amaze him.</p><p>“He really has a way with words, doesn’t he?” Rukia murmurs.</p><p>Byakuya nods. “He does.”</p><p>“I had no idea he was so good at poetry,” she says softly.</p><p>“Well, that’s Abarai Renji for you,” Rikichi remarks with a proud smile. “He’s always been good at writing poetry, since that had been part of his training. He even taught me how to write haiku as well.”</p><p>“How sweet!” Sakurai Risako, the girl whom Rikichi has been seeing now, says in awe. “You must be so proud to have him as a leader, Rikichi-san!”</p><p>Byakuya turns his attention back to the stage, listening to Renji’s last poem.</p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em> “Cherry blossoms fall </em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em> Alone, 'neath the tree, he stands</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em> The lone warrior.” </em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>As everyone applauds the haiku, Byakuya finds his heart pounding against his chest as he looks at how magnificent Renji looks in the glow of the evening sun.</p><p>What are these feelings that plague him? Could it be something deeper than a simple friendship? And why does his heart beat so much faster when he looks at Renji right now?</p><p>Whatever this is, Byakuya wants to explore these feelings a bit further. And hopefully, Renji will be willing to accept these feelings of his.</p><hr/><p>At last, night is falling, and the poetry event has come to an end. A silver moon shines down from the sky, and the bronze lanterns of the shrine corridors have been lit up.</p><p>Renji and Byakuya walk down the mostly-empty corridors together until they exit the shrine complex, spending the time in a comfortable silence as they step out onto the streets of Junrinan.</p><p>“You did well, Abarai,” Byakuya praises him.</p><p>“So did you,” Renji murmurs shyly.</p><p>His heart pounds hard against his chest, and he doesn’t know if he can take this anymore. He has to show Byakuya his true feelings for him, he has to make him aware of how he feels.</p><p>With that, he stops in his tracks, making Byakuya look at him curiously.</p><p>“Is something wrong?” he asks.</p><p>Renji remains silent, but he hardens his resolve. And with that, he turns and takes Byakuya’s hand, pulling him into a secluded alley away from the main streets.</p><p>“A-Abarai?” Byakuya says, alarmed. “What are you doing?”</p><p>Again, he doesn’t answer. Instead, he pulls Byakuya into the dimly-lit alley and releases him so that his back is pressed against a wall, then moves closer until their bodies are practically pressed against each other.</p><p>Byakuya flusters as he realizes how close Renji is to him. “Abarai, just what do you think you’re doing?” he whispers.</p><p>Renji just takes a deep breath. <em> It’s now or never. </em></p><p>“I don’t know how else to describe this,” he admits. “These past few days… I’ve been feeling so strange over you.”</p><p>Byakuya remains silent, perhaps too stunned to respond.</p><p>“Listen to me, Kuchiki,” Renji continues. “You and I… we’re completely different people. You’re so elegant and aristocratic and cultured, and you act all cool and aloof, but I know that deep down, you’re a lonely man. You might think you hide it well, but I know you’re lonely as hell, and I don’t like seeing you like that. I wanna take care of it somehow.”</p><p>“Abarai…” Byakuya whispers, amazed.</p><p>Renji smiles gently, his fingers tenderly tracing Byakuya’s cheeks.</p><p>“Kuchiki… if I let you in, can I trust you not to hurt me?” he murmurs.</p><p>Byakuya’s cheeks seem to blush a faint pink as he slowly nods. “Of course,” he whispers sincerely.</p><p>“May I see you beneath your mask?” Renji asks, his fingers moving to the red eye mask.</p><p>Again, Byakuya nods. “You may.”</p><p>Renji’s heart beats faster as he gently slides the mask off of Byakuya’s face, and his cheeks warm up quickly as he notices how Byakuya’s eyes are cast downwards, how his cheeks blush pink.</p><p><em> He’s so cute… </em>He thinks fondly, letting the mask drop down Byakuya’s front before cupping his cheeks and gently tilting his face upwards.</p><p>A tiny smile slowly crosses Byakuya’s face as he offers no resistance, and Renji can’t help smiling as he leans in closer until their lips are inches apart, pausing for a brief moment.</p><p>And then, he closes the distance between them and closes his eyes as he gently captures Byakuya’s lips with his own. </p><p>As his lips move gently against Byakuya’s, he feels Byakuya’s hands trailing up his bare chest before resting on his shoulders, and then he tentatively starts to return the kiss.</p><p>Renji’s heart practically soars right then, and his whole body feels so much lighter. Byakuya’s cool lips are so soft, the way he kisses back both tentatively and sweetly is enough to set his nerves alight, and his fragrant natural scent washes over him as if trying to make him a little more addicted.</p><p>In this moment, everything is so blissfully perfect, and Renji has never felt more alive.</p><p>When the kiss comes to an end, Renji slowly pulls away, opening his eyes to admire how beautiful Byakuya looks in the light of the moon. His cheeks are pink, his eyes filled with so much fondness, and he just looks so divine.</p><p>“Abarai…” Byakuya whispers.</p><p>“Call me ‘Renji’,” Renji murmurs.</p><p>Byakuya nods again. “Renji…” he whispers, smiling so beautifully as he practically cherishes his name.</p><p>Renji can’t help but smile at how adorable Byakuya is, and he gently kisses the red marks above Byakuya’s eyebrows.</p><p>Perhaps letting Kuchiki Byakuya in is the right choice to make after all.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And now our boys have kissed~! I had some fun in writing up that kissing scene, especially the build-up to the kiss itself. And I can't wait to write out how their relationship develops in future chapters too!</p><p>Please let me know how I did, and have a good one!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Quiet Night</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In between training and spending time with Byakuya, Renji learns a bit more about what happens on Hyakki Yagyo. Meanwhile, Grimmjow makes plans to fight Renji before Hyakky Yagyo, all while Renji attempts joint training with the samurai of the Kitsune Clan.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Here's Chapter 11, one that's filled with fluff, intrigue, and a bit of light-heartedness.</p><p>I hope you all enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Renji sighs as he immerses himself in the hot waters of the sento bath. Having washed himself thoroughly after his rigorous training today, there’s nothing more calming than a nice soak in hot water to soothe his stiff muscles. Steam drifts through the air of the baths, and he just turns to look at the mountain landscape mural on the wall as his thoughts wander.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A couple of days have passed since the poetry event, since he and Byakuya had kissed for the first time, and the sensation of Byakuya’s lips against his own still lingers even now. Just remembering it is enough to make Renji blush again, though he’s certainly not complaining about it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s still almost hard to believe he’s actually in a relationship with Byakuya, and that Byakuya had even allowed him to kiss him that night. However, Renji won’t lie, he’s truly thrilled that the Tengu Leader has chosen to trust him with his heart, and he knows that he will always cherish him no matter what happens.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite his class and aloof nature, he’d looked so vulnerable when Renji had removed his mask, and something about that has awoken something within him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As ridiculous as it might sound, he wants to protect Byakuya. Yes, Byakuya is quite a powerful youkai, as well as very skilled with his magic, but even so, seeing how shy he’d looked has made Renji realize that he isn’t as perfectly stoic or peerless as he appears to be.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If anything, it only makes him all the more adorable. And hopefully, Byakuya is willing to show more of the side he keeps hidden from the rest of the world, is willing to trust him fully with his heart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a while of bathing, Renji climbs out of the bath before heading to the changing rooms to get back into his clothes. Once he’s fully changed, he and Komamura wait outside the sento building for his warriors to finish bathing and changing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eventually, the rest of the warriors come outside, fully cleaned and dressed, and they all head back to the guest house to retire for the night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they reach the guest house, everyone immediately heads to the dining room and settles down around the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You guys all did great today,” Renji praises everyone, right as a servant comes in with dinner.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As always, dinner is both simple yet elaborate at the same time. This time, it’s soba noodles, grilled eel, and sushi, along with some miso soup and green tea, though Renji notices that there’s a bit more than usual, strangely enough.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And right then, one of the servants approaches him. “Abarai-sama, I must inform you that Rukia-sama and her friends wish to dine with you, Komamura, and your warriors,” he says. “Would you be alright with this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While this request is somewhat of a surprise, it definitely doesn’t sound like a bad thing. Perhaps dining with Rukia and her friends could be a good thing tonight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s fine by me,” Renji says. He then glances at Komamura and the warriors to see if they’re okay with it, and they all nod in confirmation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that, he turns back to the servant. “Yes, they may dine with us,” he says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Very well,” the servant says, bowing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A short while later, the door slides open and Rukia enters into the dining room, followed by Matsumoto, Kurosaki, and Inoue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you for having us,” Rukia says with a smile. “We truly appreciate it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No problem,” Renji says with a smile, watching as Rukia takes a seat right next to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once her three friends have also taken their places at the table, everyone starts serving food for themselves and distributing the dishes to make sure that everyone gets their share of each item. And as everyone eats, they all start to engage in conversations with one another.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Renji eats his piece of grilled eel, that’s when Matsumoto speaks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have to say, ever since I saw the okami warriors at the poetry event, I’ve been feeling a lot safer knowing that they’re going to help us on Hyakki Yagyo,” she says with a teasing smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sure enough, many of the warriors blush at this comment. Renji can’t help his chuckle over how shy they are.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re happy to be of help,” Renji tells her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean, they’ve been living at the base of the mountains where the Oni Tribe reside,” Rukia points out. “So they’re definitely used to being protectors, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji frowns slightly at this. “You know, the oni have rarely ever come onto our territory until recently,” he realizes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Komamura nods in agreement. “We’ve never had any problems prior,” he adds. “It was only when we experienced a shortage of deer that we realized some stray oni had come onto our territory.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that so?” Rukia looks quite surprised. “Do you think the leader knew about that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At that, Renji recalls the incident in the forest, where they’d been ambushed by the oni shortly after their swim in the river. One of the oni he’d fought had made a comment about how their leader had “taken care of” the oni that had apparently been hunting in okami territory.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Does that mean the Oni leader doesn’t approve of the oni hunting on other youkai territory? It’s certainly different from how he’d thought the leader would react.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Komamura, do you remember that ambush in the forest?” Renji asks him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course,” Komamura says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There was this oni who had said that their leader had apparently ‘dealt with’ the culprits who had been hunting in our territory,” Renji continues, looking down at his cup of tea. “Don’t you find it a bit strange?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Komamura frowns slightly. “You’re right, it is rather strange,” he agrees. “And considering the reputation of the Oni Tribe, I’m surprised their leader would react like that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Indeed, that’s another point. The Oni Tribe have a reputation for being absolutely vicious and merciless, which makes the leader’s choice to punish troublemakers very intriguing. The more he dwells on it, the more curious he becomes about the Oni Leader himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shaking his head, he decides to change the subject to something less serious; namely, the festivities of Hyakki Yagyo.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, this just came to me,” he says, getting the others’ attention. “I was just wondering how Hyakki Yagyo has been celebrated these past one hundred years?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Inoue decides to answer the question, answering with a gentle smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, during the day, there will be parades in the streets,” she begins. “They’ll carry a mikoshi that pretends to hold the Hogyoku to trick evil spirits, and they’ll wear masks and use noise makers to scare them off.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Plus, street vendors will put up food stalls for everyone,” Kurosaki adds. “There are games and other street performances, and in Kizokugai, we can even get a boat and row it down the canal.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rukia nods. “At night, everyone gathers outside of the Hogyoku-ji shrine while the clan leaders perform the ceremony to strengthen the barriers,” she chimes in. “And after that, the festivities continue well into the night, with lanterns, fireworks, and singing and dancing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>So it’s kinda changed a little bit. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Renji thinks, recalling his vague memories of the Hyakki Yagyo festivities when he’d been a child.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But of course, this year’s Hyakki Yagyo will be different,” Matsumoto adds. “After all, the ceremony will be performed during the day this time, since there is a high chance of a fight against the Oni Tribe.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji nods slowly, taking a sip of his tea as he lets those words sink in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, while he hopes that things go well on Hyakki Yagyo, he finds himself thinking about how intriguing the Oni Leader is.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Why would their leader punish any troublemakers if they’re known for being merciless and vicious?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Renji wonders as he finishes his dinner. </span>
  <em>
    <span>What are you like, Oni Leader? Are you really that evil?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>His thoughts are interrupted by a knock on the door, and he turns just in time to see it slide open to show a bowing servant.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Excuse the interruption, Abarai-sama,” he says. “Byakuya-sama wishes to speak with you. He is waiting outside on the engawa for you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji raises an eyebrow, but his heart beats a little faster in excitement as he nods. “Of course,” he says, smiling faintly. “I’ll go and meet him right away.”</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Byakuya sits upon the engawa porch, dressed in a black silk yukata decorated with red dragonfly patterns as he admires the scene of the gardens. They look so lovely while bathed in silver moonlight, and he takes a sip of his tea before inhaling the sweetly-perfumed air, sighing contentedly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wants to cherish this scene with Renji by his side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ever since Renji had kissed him after the poetry event, Byakuya has felt so much lighter than ever before in his entire life. To know that Renji trusts him with his heart, and that he is willing to open up to him… </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Well, he’s honestly not too sure how to describe it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His thoughts are interrupted when he senses Renji’s reiatsu, and he turns to see him approaching.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya’s eyes soften a tad, and a smile briefly tugs the corners of his lips. “Take a seat,” he says, gesturing to a spot right next to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” Renji says, sitting cross-legged as always. “It’s a beautiful night, ain’t it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is,” Byakuya agrees. “Thank you for joining me tonight, Renji. I truly appreciate it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s no need to thank me, Kuchiki,” Renji says with a smile. “I’m happy to join you right now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Call me ‘Byakuya’,” Byakuya tells him. “After all, I think we’re close enough to call each other by our first names.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji’s scent almost overwhelms him, and it’s such a crisp and wonderful scent. He smells woodsy, with a faintly floral hint mixed in with the scent of autumn leaves. It’s so wonderfully fresh and addictive, unlike any scent he’s smelled before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He can’t help but feel curious about how the Okami Tribe have been living in Momiji no Mori all this time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What was it like to live in Momiji no Mori?” Byakuya asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji looks a little surprised at such a question, but he answers with a distant kind of smile on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was nice for the most part,” he admits. “It was a little difficult at first, but we managed to adapt pretty quickly. Our village was small, but it was good enough for us, and we were able to provide for pretty much everyone.” He smiles again. “It was also beautiful, since we lived near the mountains, particularly near the one where we believed the mountain god to reside.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya nods slowly. “But you’re also living near the Oni Tribe’s territory,” he says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s right,” Renji agrees.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you have any altercations with them before recently?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, we haven’t.” Renji takes a sip from the cup of tea poured for him. “At least, not until we noticed a shortage of prey awhile back. Even so, during that one confrontation in the forest, one of the oni had said that the Oni Leader had apparently dealt with the culprits hunting in okami territory.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya frowns. Well, that’s definitely rather strange, especially considering the reputation of the Oni Tribe for being bloodthirsty and violent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That is strange,” he says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He then decides to change the subject to something more pleasant.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Would you like to try a manju?” Byakuya asks, picking up the plate of treats and holding it out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji looks at them curiously before taking one and biting into it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not bad,” he says, raising an eyebrow. “I’ve never had anything like this, actually.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, try and enjoy it,” Byakuya says gently, turning back to the gardens. “I want to see you enjoy some of the finer things in this world.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Right now, everything is truly splendid. The night is calm and tranquil, the air is sweet, and the gardens are so very peaceful. And with Renji by his side, this whole scene feels even more intimate than anything else.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s as he watches the gardens when he feels Renji’s eyes upon him. And when he glances over at him, Byakuya is surprised to see a look of pure fascination and fondness in his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re so beautiful,” Renji whispers sincerely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Much to his dismay, Byakuya feels his cheeks heating up, and his ears burn as a blush stains his cheeks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At this, Renji raises an eyebrow before a playful grin slowly crosses his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, you are super beautiful, Byakuya,” he says, his eyes glinting mischievously. “But under the moonlight, I gotta say that you look more divine, actually. And that’s not getting into how gorgeous your eyes are as well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya doesn’t know how to react. His heart is beating much harder against his chest, and he shyly looks down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You think so?” he murmurs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course,” Renji says warmly. “And those red markings on your face just make you all the more gorgeous. I could just look at your face all day, honestly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By now, Byakuya’s face must be alarmingly red, and he just hides his cheeks as his heart pounds against his chest. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He really knows how to flatter me, doesn’t he?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji just laughs fondly. “You’re so cute, Byakuya,” he chuckles.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Cute?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Byakuya thinks as an idea comes to mind. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Well, perhaps I should… turn the tables.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>With that, he lowers his hands and turns to Renji, a sly smile upon his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You think I’m divine?” he asks, raising an eyebrow. “Well, Renji. I should say that you are a fine masterpiece of art.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sure enough, Renji’s cheeks blush red as his eyes widen slightly, and he flusters almost immediately.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wh-What are you saying?!” he protests.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your tattoos, for one,” Byakuya continues, enjoying this way too much. “They’re truly spectacular, especially the way they highlight your muscles. And your hair, well… you don’t know how much I would like to run my fingers through it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He feels very amused to see Renji’s blush deepening as his ears twitch, so he decides to take it up a notch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you know, your ears are truly adorable,” Byakuya tells him sincerely. “I love watching them twitch every now and then, especially in moments like this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now it’s Renji’s turn to shyly look down as his cheeks are stained with a blush that is much too adorable to look at.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya can’t help it. He laughs softly, regarding his lover mirthfully as his heart beats a little faster.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abarai Renji is much too adorable, really.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And right then, before Byakuya realizes what’s happening, he finds himself quickly pulled into a warm and sweet kiss, one that he’s all too happy to return.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Closing his eyes, Byakuya gently places his hands on Renji’s bare chest as he leans into the kiss. He lets Renji’s woodsy musk wash over him, savouring the way his lips move so gently against his own and the way his hands are so tender as they clasp his cheeks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s amazing how Renji’s kisses make his heart flutter as if he’s some lovesick teenager, and he won’t lie; he truly enjoys such a warm sensation like this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Renji pulls away, Byakuya opens his eyes just in time to feel him pressing a kiss on his forehead, making him blush a little bit more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s truly adorable how affectionate Renji can be, and with that ridiculously silly smile on his face, it’s hard to resist his sincere charm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya smiles softly, caressing Renji’s cheek with absolute tenderness before pressing a quick kiss on his lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stay a little longer, Renji,” he murmurs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji just chuckles, pressing his forehead against Byakuya’s. “No need to tell me twice,” he tells him.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Upon the cave walls, the light of burning torches placed here and there flicker every now and then, providing only a little warmth for the bitter cold of the mountains.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimmjow’s reiatsu flares powerfully throughout the cave as he marches towards the stone throne in the main chamber. His eyes are burning with anger, his hands clenched into fists, and his steps are filled with a cold kind of fury.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just today, he’d overheard a conversation among a rather unruly oni who had snuck out of the cave one night, and had done something that’s pissed him off quite a bit now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s time to call a meeting and lay down the law. He can’t believe he actually has to do this right now, but considering what’s happened, it definitely needs to be addressed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he flares his reiatsu, his signal for calling a meeting among all the oni, he seats himself on the stone throne and watches as all the oni start coming into the main chamber.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instantly, most of the oni can sense that there’s something wrong as they notice Grimmjow’s hardened glare, as well as the way his reiatsu is at an almost suffocating level. Neither of them dare to say anything, lest they incite his wrath and suffer a blow from one of the huge hands that hover near him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimmjow watches the oni, searching for a specific one in the crowd. Eventually, his eyes land upon the oni in question, and his lips curl into a snarl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now that everyone is in the chamber, it’s time to start this meeting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, that’s enough!” Grimmjow barks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Silence falls over the place as he gets up from the throne.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You!” Grimmjow snarls, pointing at Luppi, the oni with black horns upon his head. “Come up here right now!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Luppi marches up rather defiantly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he’s near enough, Grimmjow folds his arms across his chest and narrows his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I overheard something interesting,” he says, baring his fangs slightly. “Apparently, you had decided to sneak off on your own and ambush Abarai Renji by surprise. You decided to go all the way into Ashihara for the sake of trying to take him out. Am I correct?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Luppi just gives him a cocky smile. “I thought it would be best to try and weaken Ashihara’s forces by taking down a clan leader,” he says. “It’s what your father would’ve done.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>fuck you.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <span>Within a second, Grimmjow’s fist slams right into Luppi’s gut, making him crumple over and gasp for air as he curls in on himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t you </span>
  <em>
    <span>dare</span>
  </em>
  <span> compare me to that son of a bitch,” Grimmjow snarls coldly as he straightens himself up. “Say something like that again, I’ll rip your heart out with my bare hands.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Glaring at the rest of the oni, he continues.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Listen here!” he shouts, his hands trembling with anger. “Abarai Renji is mine to fight! None of you are to even try and get to him, and if I hear anything else about this kind of fuckery, I’ll kill you right where you stand!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He briefly glances to Luppi, who is now sitting up and clutching his stomach, and then turns his attention back to the rest of the oni.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I’m hearing a lot about you guys doing sneak attacks too,” Grimmjow continues, feeling very pissed off just thinking about it. “What the fuck is wrong with you all?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No one dares to answer him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimmjow steps down from the throne. “We are the Oni Tribe!” he shouts, his voice ringing through the chamber as he paces back and forth in front of the crowd. “We do not sneak up on our enemies, we fight ‘em up front and head-on! I definitely did not become the leader to allow this kind of bullshit to happen, and I ain’t got no time for any goddamn cowards in this tribe!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stops and glares at them again. “Have I made myself clear?” he asks. “The next time you do a sneak attack, you’ll be getting a hell of a lot more than just me yelling in your faces!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Grimmjow-sama!” All the oni say, bowing to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good,” Grimmjow says. “You’re all dismissed!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the oni all leave the chamber right then, he gets an idea, and he grins slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Perhaps now would be a good time for him to get to know Renji’s fighting style. That way, he’ll know what he should expect on Hyakki Yagyo. And besides, he’s been craving a good fight for a while now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Of course, he’s not going to rush into Ashihara just like that. He’ll just have to wait until the Okami Leader and his warriors come into the forest again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yylfordt! Shawlong!” Grimmjow barks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Immediately, the two oni march up to him and bow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You called, Grimmjow-sama?” Yylfordt asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How would you two like to come with me for a fight one day?” Grimmjow suggests, grinning at them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shawlong raises an eyebrow, and Yylfordt smiles knowingly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It sounds wonderful,” Shawlong says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good.” Grimmjow cracks his knuckles. “Gather some oni as well. We’re gonna have ourselves a good fight very soon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh, he cannot wait to fight Abarai Renji. And he has a feeling that it’s going to happen very, </span>
  <em>
    <span>very</span>
  </em>
  <span> soon.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Today’s training is a lot more awkward than anything Renji has ever experienced, and he can practically feel the tension in the air right now. Out in a clearing in Momiji no Mori, he and Komamura have brought the okami warriors out for some more training.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But today, they have some guests joining them for training as well, and despite the fact that everyone has agreed upon it, there’s still a tense uncertainty that lingers in the air right now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Renji asks, glancing at Ichimaru with a raised eyebrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ichimaru shrugs. “Who knows?” he says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The fuck is that supposed to mean? Wasn’t this your idea?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was. But even I didn’t really anticipate this kind of tension.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Recently, Ichimaru had come up with the idea of having a joint training between the okami warriors and the kitsune samurai out in Momiji no Mori. Renji had been a little bit reluctant about it, but after running the idea through the others and getting their approval, he’d agreed to it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even so, it looks like today’s training will be tougher than expected.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji just sighs. “Well, I might as well kick things off,” he mutters, heading over to his warriors.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>From the corner of his eye, he notices both Rukia and Matsumoto, both of whom have decided to act as mediators in case things go bad, standing with Kira Izuru and talking with him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Right then, Komamura comes up to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If I may suggest something, Abarai,” he begins. “Perhaps you could demonstrate the okami style of fighting to the kitsune.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji nods slowly. “Perhaps I should,” he says, giving Komamura a smile. “Thanks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After all, both clans use very different styles of fighting; the okami style being more martial arts-based with some shadow magic, and the kitsune style being more magic-based with not a lot of martial arts. Maybe it could be useful to demonstrate some martial arts techniques to them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rikichi!” Renji calls, getting the young okami’s attention. “Come with me!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course!” Rikichi says, following him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They make their way to the center of the clearing, getting everyone’s attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright,” Renji begins, his voice ringing with authority. “I thought that a good way to start this would be to show off a bit of the Okami style of fighting. So I want you all to pay attention to Rikichi and myself, got it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Surprisingly, the kitsune samurai nod and stay silent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that, both Renji and Rikichi get into fighting stances as shadow tendrils surround their forearms and hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then, they charge at each other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rikichi seems to have gotten better right now, Renji notices. His reactions are much quicker, he’s gotten better at blocking incoming attacks, and his shadow attacks have become more precise and clean.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji smiles slightly, and makes a mental note to congratulate Rikichi at the end of training.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At some point, during the demonstration, Renji takes a quick glance at the kitsune to see if they’re observing. And to his pleasant surprise, they’re actually observing the fight with what seems to be interest.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Maybe there’s some hope after all. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Renji thinks, feeling a little pleased.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eventually, the demonstration comes to an end, with the fight ending in a draw.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Surprisingly, Renji receives some polite applause from the kitsune, and he bows a little before smiling slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Us okami, we really prioritize martial arts above anything else,” he says. “However, our use of shadow magic is to make our attacks more vicious and powerful. We have special abilities as well, but we only ever use them when it’s absolutely necessary.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Right then, Ichimaru approaches him, still having that fox-like smile on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks for the demonstration, Abarai-kun,” he says. “Now, perhaps I should return the favour and demonstrate the Kitsune style of fighting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He then turns to Kira. “Izuru!” he calls. “Come here and be my fighting partner, will ya?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course,” Kira says, bowing before approaching Ichimaru.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they move back, Renji smiles at Rikichi. “You did well,” he praises. “In fact, you’ve gotten better.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rikichi smiles excitedly. “Thank you, Abarai-san!” he says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji is about to say something else when suddenly, he feels it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A dark, crushing reiatsu that has Renji and the rest of the okami tensing up and preparing themselves for an inevitable fight against some more oni.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even more, it seems like the oni aren’t concealing their reiatsu, considering that Ichimaru, the kitsune samurai, as well as Rukia and Matsumoto, can also sense it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oni are coming,” Rikichi mutters.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Again?” Rukia says, clearly dismayed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji narrows his eyes as his ears twitch while he senses something else.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s another reiatsu beneath the collective ones of numerous oni. This reiatsu… This one is much more heavy, much more stifling, and a hell of a lot darker than any other oni.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It feels as if there’s a set of claws pressed against Renji’s throat, and he swallows instinctively.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s only one kind of oni this reiatsu can belong to.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>No way… </span>
  </em>
  <span>Renji’s eyes widen in realization.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then, they all hear it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“At last…” A male voice, rough and growling, speaks. “We finally meet at last… Abarai Renji.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Looks like next chapter is going to be pretty intense, and I definitely can't wait to write it out ;)</p><p>Please let me know how I did, and have a good one!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Enemy Mine</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Renji finds himself working together with Ichimaru to fight against Grimmjow, and he also comes to realize just how much fun it is to fight against the Oni Leader.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Here's Chapter 12, where we see a turning point that'll definitely change things between Renji and Gin, for sure.</p><p>I hope you all enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>From the depths of the forest, the first thing Renji sees are two huge oni hands, coloured blue with black claws, floating and glowing in the darkness. But as the hands draw closer to the clearing, that’s when he sees a person also drawing closer and closer until he steps out of the shadows of the forest into the clearing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji stares in shock at the oni before him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With those bluish-purple horns, that electric-blue hair and eyes, those markings upon his face, and those huge hands hovering on either side of him, there’s no doubt as to who this is.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Grimmjow…” he says tersely, clenching his fists. “Leader of the Oni Tribe.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Also following Grimmjow into the clearing are two other oni with a pretty decent reiatsu, as well as a small army of lower-ranking oni with kanabo clubs. Yet in spite of their lower rank, these oni look a lot fiercer than Renji has ever seen before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But what really gets his attention the most is Grimmjow himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s not just his appearance that’s striking, though. It’s the sheer amount of reiatsu that radiates from him, the sheer level of power that Renji can practically feel from him. Clearly this guy is a strong and fierce leader, and judging from that savage grin on his face, he’s definitely a fierce fighter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even so, why is it that Grimmjow had decided to punish the stray oni hunting in okami territory?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Evidently, there’s a lot more to Grimmjow than what meets the eye.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimmjow appraises Renji with a raised eyebrow, looking rather impressed as he takes in his physical appearance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not bad,” he says with a slight smirk. “You definitely look like a guy I could fight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji narrows his eyes. “You think so?” he asks warily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Definitely,” Grimmjow says, folding his arms across his chest. “But before we fight, I guess I should thank you for not actually killing any of the oni that attacked you and the tengu woman over there.” He nods in Rukia’s direction.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rukia eyes him warily. “How did you know about their attack on me?” she asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I forced it out of ‘em when they came back all scratched up,” Grimmjow says, his eyes darkening a little. “I gotta admit, I was pretty pissed off with them for daring to sneak off and try something stupid like that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He then turns his attention back to Renji. “But enough of that,” he says with that savage grin. “You look like an honourable guy, and I like guys like you. I’ve been looking forward to meetin’ you for some time now, Abarai Renji.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For a moment, Renji isn’t really sure how to react. Certainly, he didn’t expect the Oni Leader to be rather affable, especially considering his reputation and fierce appearance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But right then, he feels something within him starting to stir. A more primal and animal instinct within him is starting to awaken, and it makes his heart race a little faster with adrenaline.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ve been looking forward to meeting me?” Renji asks, trying to keep his voice even.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course,” Grimmjow continues, his blue eyes glinting wildly. “Who wouldn’t want to fight someone like you? I’ve heard plenty of stories from the rest of the oni, so you’d better give me a good fight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji finds himself assuming a defensive stance as he readies himself for the inevitable fight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But right then, Ichimaru comes up to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Allow me to assist you, Abarai-kun,” Ichimaru offers him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, what?” Renji looks at him in surprise. “You’re serious?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimmjow, however, narrows his eyes in annoyance. “You get outta the way, kitsune,” he growls. “I ain’t interested in fighting anyone else but Abarai Renji. So get outta my way before I kill you myself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ichimaru stiffens slightly, but Renji glances at him and nods.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You get the others to fight against the rest of the oni,” he orders. “I’ll take care of Grimmjow.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While a little reluctant, Ichimaru finally nods. “Very well then,” he says, stepping back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Renji surrounds his hands and arms with tendrils of shadows, that primal urge within him awakens even more, especially when he gets a look at that wild grin on Grimmjow’s face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He won’t say it out loud, but a part of him has been interested in fighting Grimmjow for some time as of lately. And seeing that wild and savage grin on his face, feeling the sheer power in the Oni Leader’s reiatsu and the bloodlust that practically radiates from his very being…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A wolfish grin crosses Renji’s face as he licks his lips slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bring it, Grimmjow,” he challenges. “You want a fight? I’ll give you a damn good fight then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimmjow’s smile widens. “Now that’s what I like to hear!” he snarls.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As if on cue, the rest of the oni go after the others while Grimmjow charges towards Renji, those huge hands following him as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji is prepared, and he leaps out of the way of one of those huge hands as it swipes down at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He then charges towards Grimmjow, aiming his hand at the ground before shooting a shadow blast at it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The moment the blast hits the ground, a wolf materializes from the shadows before charging towards Grimmjow with a growl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, Grimmjow just looks completely unimpressed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that all you got?!” he demands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He swipes his claws, and one of the huge hands bats down upon the shadow wolf, making it dissipate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Snarling under his breath, Renji shoots a blast of shadows at Grimmjow, knocking him right in the gut.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimmjow goes flying back until he crashes into a tree, the bark breaking audibly from the impact. Nevertheless, he slowly gets up, wiping his chin as he snarls.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not bad…” he says. “But this ain’t over yet, Abarai Renji! This fight is just getting started!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji grins at this. Oh, this is gonna be great. Now this is what he likes the most. Nothing gets his blood pumping like a good fight, and never before has he had this much fun until now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Show me what you got, Grimmjow!” he shouts with a grin. “Don’t tell me you’re afraid!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimmjow just smirks, then charges at Renji with his large hands at the ready.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they both engage in a heated and intense fight, Renji takes the time to observe Grimmjow’s style of fighting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As a fighter, Grimmjow is as vicious and merciless as he is. However, he places an emphasis on brute strength and melee attacks, while Renji tries to balance both magic attacks with melee attacks. At the same time, Grimmjow is also surprisingly agile and clever in his attacks, showing that he’s not just brutally strong, but rather intelligent as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even more, those huge hands that hover near him… they’re surprisingly effective, and he knows how to control them well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji has to be very careful with those hands, lest he get swatted away by them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he blocks a magic attack from Grimmjow, he notices a sneer on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I gotta say, you’re pretty fuckin’ strong for someone who’s so naive,” he taunts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji narrows his eyes. “The fuck is that supposed to mean?” he demands, pushing him back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimmjow just wipes his chin again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t make me laugh,” he snarls. “You think I haven’t heard about what happened to the Okami Tribe one hundred years ago? For you to even want to help out those bastards on Hyakki Yagyo is pretty naive, considering how they betrayed you all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Why would he care?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Renji wonders to himself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What does it matter to you?” he demands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing, really,” Grimmjow says, that savage grin coming back. “If it means you and I can actually fight on Hyakki Yagyo, then you can help ‘em out for as long as you want!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Somehow, this makes Renji recall that one oni who had told him that Grimmjow had punished the stray oni who had been hunting in okami territory.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tell me something,” Renji says at last, his voice hard. “I learned that some of your oni have been hunting in our territory. According to one of them, you punished those troublemakers.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And?” Grimmjow raises an eyebrow. “What about it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why would you do that?” Renji asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why do you sound so suspicious?” Grimmjow asks, preparing for another attack. “I’m a man of honour, Abarai. Ever since your tribe came into Momiji no Mori, I’ve made laws that forbade the oni from hunting on your territory. And I don’t tolerate rulebreakers, so I had to deal with them properly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yet again, this only puzzles Renji even further.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Compared to Shuten Douji and the oni of the ancient period, Grimmjow is much more… honourable. He’s made laws, has a strict code of honour, and doesn’t even seek to cause havoc among anyone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I certainly didn’t expect that,” Renji points out. “I mean, compared to Shuten Douji, you seem a lot more noble than him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To his surprise, Grimmjow’s eyes narrow slightly, and his reiatsu is now tinged with a strong anger as he bares his teeth in a fierce snarl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t you dare say that name to my face!” he shouts, his voice filled with both anger and some unrecognizable emotion. “You are never to speak that son of a bitch’s name like that!”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Wait, what?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Now, Renji is confused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, he has no time to be confused, as Grimmjow is now charging towards him, ready to attack him again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now, his attacks are much more angry, much more vengeful than before, and Renji is starting to struggle a little.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Who would’ve thought that saying Shuten Douji’s name like that would’ve angered Grimmjow so much? Did he take it as an insult to himself? To his ancestor?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No, it’s definitely not that. There’s something else in Grimmjow’s reiatsu that doesn’t seem as though he’s offended on behalf of Shuten Douji. If anything, he seems angry at the mention of Shuten Douji’s name.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just what is bothering him so much right now?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Too slow!” Grimmjow suddenly shouts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji’s eyes widen in shock, and before he realizes, the large hand swipes towards him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Somehow, he manages to jump back, but he barely escapes those huge claws, and ends up losing his footing and falling back onto the ground. And before he can even try and get back up onto his feet, one of those huge hands pins him down to the ground.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji curses as he’s held down, struggling furiously. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck! I didn’t even see this coming!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimmjow menaces towards him, his eyes blazing with fury. “No one is to say Shuten Douji’s name out loud before me,” he snarls, making the hand press harder on Renji. “Is that clear?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, Renji can’t answer. The hand is holding him down much too hard for him to even try and say something.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I had… no idea…” he manages to choke out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Evidently, something about Shuten Douji bothers Grimmjow a lot. If the mere mention of his name is enough to anger him, just what happened to the Oni Leader for him to loathe his ancestor like this?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This ends here, Okami Leader!” Grimmjow shouts, readying himself to attack again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji closes his eyes, waiting for the blow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead, he hears the sound of fire, before feeling his body being freed from the hand pinning him to the ground.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He opens his eyes, looking around in confusion when he notices Grimmjow glaring in a certain direction, prompting him to follow his line of sight, only for his eyes to widen a little.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To his surprise, as the rest of the fights continue, Ichimaru approaches the both of them, his hand surrounded by purple fire as he readies himself for another attack.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ichimaru…” Renji whispers, getting back onto his feet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimmjow narrows his eyes. “What the fuck are you doing here, kitsune?” he demands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, it looked like Abarai-kun needed some help,” Ichimaru says casually. “So I thought I’d come and help him out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Renji gets into a fighting stance again, Ichimaru also prepares himself. “What do you say about taking him on together?” he asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Doesn’t sound too bad, I guess,” Renji concedes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that, they both charge towards Grimmjow, shooting blasts of shadows and purple fire at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Though Grimmjow is able to avoid the blasts, the tables have been effectively turned now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they fight against the Oni Leader, Renji can’t help but feel pleasantly surprised at how well they’re managing to work together. Somehow, Ichimaru’s cunning and tricky style of fighting complements his own rough and wolfish fighting style, especially in how they manage to synchronize their attacks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And just like how Renji can create wolves from shadows, Ichimaru is also able to create foxes from purple flames.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s through this kind of teamwork that they’re both able to push back against Grimmjow, as well as the rest of the oni.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sure enough, Grimmjow seems to decide that withdrawing is a better idea.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that, he gets out of his fighting stance and flares his reiatsu, all while glaring at Renji.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This fight isn’t over yet, Abarai Renji,” he warns, all while the rest of the oni return to his side. “I’ve seen enough for now, but be assured that I look forward to fighting you for real on Hyakki Yagyo. And then, I’ll carry out vengeance on behalf of Shuten Douji himself. So be ready!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Grimmjow and the rest of the oni withdraw, Renji narrows his eyes as he notices how Grimmjow had practically spat out Shuten Douji’s name, as if it’s too foul for his mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It doesn’t really make sense why he’d be so bitter over his ancestor. But one thing for sure, there’s definitely a lot more to Grimmjow than what he just looks like.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji then glances at Ichimaru, who looks in his direction, then gives him a simple nod.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ichimaru also returns the nod, looking a little curious.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, alarmed shouts get Renji’s attention, and he turns to see his warriors rushing over to an injured Komamura. And right next to him, Kira also sustains some injuries as he lies on the ground.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Komamura!” he shouts, quickly running over to him as Ichimaru and the kitsune rush over to Kira.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rukia is hurriedly tending to Komamura’s wounds, looking frantic as she does so.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happened to him?” Renji asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Komamura weakly lifts his head up. “An oni… Kuchiki Rukia… she almost…” he forces out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Take it easy, Komamura,” Renji reassures gently, helping him to his feet. “You did good, but you need to rest now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s get everyone back to the manor,” Rukia says gently. “We’ll have to inform Nii-sama about this development.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji nods grimly. “You’re right.”</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Byakuya had just finished training his tengu foot soldiers when a servant had rushed over with urgent news of an oni attack in Momiji no Mori, where Renji and his okami warriors had been doing joint training with Ichimaru and the kitsune samurai.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Worry fills his very being as he quickly glides back to the manor, where he can hear the urgent instructions among the doctors and medics, as well as Renji’s urgent orders to handle the injured warriors with care. All this does is make him go a bit faster.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At last, he finally sees Renji and Rukia waiting outside one of the rooms, and they also look in his direction upon sensing his reiatsu.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nii-sama!” Rukia says, looking relieved.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya stops before them. “I heard about the attack,” he says. “What exactly happened? How many have been hurt?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Some of my warriors have been injured,” Renji explains. “Komamura got injured while protecting Rukia from an oni. But he'll be alright.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I see,” Byakuya says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He then turns to Rukia. “Are you alright?” he asks, letting worry colour his voice. “I hope you’re not hurt.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rukia smiles reassuringly. “I’m alright, Nii-sama,” she says. “If it hadn’t been for Komamura-san, who knows what would’ve happened?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then, Renji speaks again, looking a little grim now. “I wanted to tell you that this time, it was Grimmjow, the Oni Leader himself, leading the attack,” he says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya’s eyes widen a little, and he looks at Renji in surprise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Oni Leader himself has come to attack now? Well, this is certainly quite a major development.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As if sensing the shift in atmosphere, Rukia decides to leave the area and let Renji and Byakuya privately discuss the situation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grateful for this, Byakuya shifts his focus back to Renji.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What was he like? The Oni Leader?” he asks. “Why did he decide to show up?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He wanted to see what kind of a fighter I am,” Renji explains. “He wanted a fight, so I gave him a damn good fight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There seems to be some kind of glint in Renji’s eyes, and Byakuya can’t help but worry a little bit about that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Did… Did Renji really enjoy the fight against Grimmjow?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ichimaru and I managed to work together in fighting him off,” Renji continues. “We managed to push him back, and he told me that he looks forward to fighting against me on Hyakki Yagyo soon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya just nods slowly. “May I ask something, Renji? Did you enjoy the fight against the Oni Leader?” he asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji nods, looking a little pleased. “Grimmjow was a pretty good fighter, I gotta admit,” he says honestly. “And he’s surprisingly honourable, all things considered. I haven’t had a good fight like that in a long time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Somehow, Byakuya becomes rather concerned to hear this. It shouldn’t surprise him that Renji is rather fierce and volatile in fighting, but to learn that he has a strong fighting frenzy much like Grimmjow? That he craves the thrill of a good fight?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh god, if Renji ever succumbs to that fighting frenzy, he could get seriously hurt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He can’t afford to lose Renji. He absolutely cannot.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oi, why are you looking so worried now?” Renji asks, raising an eyebrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya just shakes his head. “You’re going to get killed if you focus too much on having a good fight,” he chides gently. “Do you not realize how reckless that is?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Again, Renji looks bemused for a moment. “I’m not that reckless, Byakuya,” he says, folding his arms across his chest. “Besides, I might love a good fight and all that, but I’m not gonna make it a regular habit of mine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Promise me you won’t,” Byakuya implores, his voice firm but quietly pleading. “I don’t want to lose you at all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now, Renji smiles gently. “I promise,” he says reassuringly, gently caressing Byakuya’s face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya closes his eyes as he feels Renji’s warm lips kiss his forehead, the innocent gesture enough to make his heart flutter a little.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Right then, they hear footsteps, making them pull apart as they see a servant approaching them both.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is it?” Byakuya asks, composing himself again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m here with a message from Ichimaru-sama,” the servant reports. “He wishes to invite both you and Abarai-sama to his manor for tea.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji looks a little surprised, but he nods slowly. “Alright,” he says. “We accept the invite.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya nods in agreement. “Yes, we both accept.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At the same time, however, he's a little curious about the timing of this sudden invite. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>
    <em>What</em>
  </span>
  <em>
    <span> are your intentions, Ichimaru?</span>
  </em>
  <span> He can’t help but wonder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Whatever it is, hopefully it doesn't cause any tensions or anger between anyone.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Gin sits at the chabudai table in the tearoom of his manor, with Rangiku right by his side, of course. Tea has already been served, so they both just sit and enjoy the comforting warmth it gives them both after a rather intense fight against the oni.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How’s Kira doing?” Rangiku asks, looking worried as she fiddles with her peony lantern.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’ll be fine,” Gin reassures her. “Despite how he looks, he’s a tough one.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rangiku smiles softly. “I suppose so,” she agrees.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you think Abarai-kun would be willing to hear me out?” Gin wonders out loud.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure he will,” Rangiku says with a gentle smile. “I spoke with him a while back, and he seemed willing to give you a chance.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gin snorts slightly. “Hardly any man can resist your charms,” he points out. “I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s because of that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rangiku just gently punches his shoulder as a response. “Stop it…” she ribs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Gin takes a sip of his tea, his mind wanders back to that moment when he and Abarai Renji had managed to work together in fighting Grimmjow in Momiji no Mori.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Honestly, Abarai is a pretty good fighter. He has a certain kind of frenzy that he seems happy to indulge in sometimes, and considering the grin he’d seen on his face at some point during his fight, it’s no wonder Grimmjow had wanted to fight him only.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even so, a part of Gin can’t help but wonder just where he and Abarai stand right now. Hence why he’s invited him to the manor for tea.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It doesn’t take too long for both Abarai and Kuchiki (mask on, of course) to show up, as a servant slides the shoji door open to reveal them both before they enter the tearoom. When they approach the table, they take the seats opposite from Gin and Rangiku as a servant pours tea for them both.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Right away, Abarai looks a little bit confused and uneasy, though Gin can’t really blame him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry, Abarai-kun,” he says with a smile. “I ain’t gonna bite ya.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abarai eyes him warily, but nods slowly. “O-Okay…” he says at last, stiffly taking a sip of his tea.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m serious. I just wanted to talk to ya,” Gin continues.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Right then, another servant enters the tearoom, this time with some wagashi sweets to have with tea. The plate consists of some ume daifuku, mitarashi dango, manju, amanatto, and some dried persimmons for Gin himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once the servant leaves, Gin takes a dried persimmon and eats it before speaking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just wanted to say that you did well against Grimmjow,” he says sincerely. “You’re quite the formidable fighter, Abarai-kun.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abarai’s ears twitch slightly as he picks up a daifuku, looking a little surprised at such praise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” he says. “You also did pretty well yourself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sounds sincere, so perhaps it counts as some progress. Plus, the way his ears had twitched had been surprisingly adorable.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Right then, Kuchiki sets down his cup of tea and levels his gaze at Gin. “I’m a little curious, Ichimaru,” he says. “Why have you decided to invite us here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I am a little curious,” Gin admits. “I just want to know where us kitsune stand right now with the Okami Tribe.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sure, he might have been able to work together with Abarai in the fight against Grimmjow, but have they really managed to set aside their differences for the sake of Spirit Society? Gin won’t lie; he sincerely hopes that Abarai is willing to trust him now; he seems like a great guy, and to work alongside him would be very beneficial for the both of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abarai looks a little thoughtful, frowning slightly as he tries to think of a way to answer the question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a short while, he finally answers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well…” he begins. “I guess this incident could count as progress. Even so, a part of me is still a little bit suspicious.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gin nods slowly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m afraid it’ll be a long time before I’m completely comfortable and trusting. After all, we’re still trying to come to terms with everything and move forward,” Abarai continues. “However, I think us working together against Grimmjow is a sign of progress on both sides.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Somehow, Abarai’s words are enough to make Gin open his eyes a little in surprise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That’s… quite a mature outlook he has right now. It’s certainly a sharp contrast to his hostility at the meeting in the Central Assembly Hall, but he’s definitely not complaining.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s no doubting it right now. Abarai Renji is definitely a remarkable guy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m glad to hear that,” Gin says sincerely. “I look forward to the day you can fully trust us again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Likewise,” Abarai says, a smile slowly crossing his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This meeting has gone a lot better than expected, but Gin is glad that it’s gotten some good results. Even though Abarai is still a little wary of him, there is clearly some hope for things to improve between the okami and the kitsune at last.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gin’s ancestors are probably rolling in their graves right now. After all, the one who had instigated the massacre on the Okami Tribe had been known to be prideful to a fault, and it had been his greed that had nearly destroyed the honour of the Kitsune Clan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But honestly, Gin doesn’t give a damn about that. He’s not going to repeat his ancestors’ actions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even if it takes a thousand years, he’ll do whatever it takes to do right by the Okami Tribe and make amends with Abarai Renji. And if anyone has a problem with it, whether or not they’re a member of his clan, then their opinions don’t matter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And hopefully, both the Kitsune Clan and the Okami Tribe can become close allies like how they had once been during the ancient period.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I have to admit, I had fun writing out the fight between Renji and Grimmjow. They both are somewhat similar, so it was definitely interesting to write out the dynamics between them.</p><p>Please let me know how I did, and have a good one!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Surrender</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Both Grimmjow and Renji find themselves reflecting on their fight, as well as their surprising similarities to one another. At the same time, both Byakuya and Renji allow themselves to surrender to their desire for each other.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I had a bit of fun with this chapter, to be honest. It was interesting to write about both Renji and Grimmjow wondering about what could've been and whether or not they could've been friends in a different lifetime and all that. Also, things will get rather sensual later on ;)</p><p>I hope you all enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Hyakki Yagyo is getting closer. Soon, the new moon will arrive, and the powers of every single oni will be stronger than ever before. And then they’ll finally be able to invade that sacred shrine where the Hogyoku rests, and once he’s gotten his hands on it, all of Spirit Society will be his.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimmjow trains harder than ever, training in his usual place near the cave waterfall. As always, the cool mist from the cascade and plunge pool drifts through the cavern and soaks into his hair and skin, cooling him down as he stands up from the ground.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The roar of the waterfall echoes through the cavern as he starts practicing his melee attacks on the rock formations now. He controls the huge oni hands to cut down stalagmites and stalactites alike, those huge claws leaving scratch marks into the cave walls and upon the ground.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But as he practices, his thoughts wander back to the fight he’d had against Abarai Renji, the leader of the Okami Tribe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A slight smile tugs at his lips as he recalls the fight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abarai Renji had turned out to be quite a good fighter, in all honesty. Grimmjow hasn’t had that much fun in so long, especially since the Okami Leader is as vicious and merciless as he is.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That wolfish smile, that rough and fierce style of fighting, and the way his eyes had glinted with a faint hint of bloodlust during the fight… he really is a worthy opponent. Even more, that long red hair and those black tattoos of his really make him look fierce and vicious. With that kind of an appearance, Abarai Renji can easily scare off any dumbass youkai that tries to fuck with him.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I can’t wait to fight you again, Abarai Renji.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Grimmjow thinks, licking his lips at the thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Hopefully you’ll be as good on Hyakki Yagyo.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>But it’s not just his attacks and appearance that Grimmjow likes about him. Rather, it’s how honourable and strong he is as a person that he truly respects.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In fact, now that he thinks about it, Abarai isn’t that different from him in terms of personality.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Perhaps we could’ve been friends… in another lifetime.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimmjow stops abruptly when he realizes what he’d just thought, and he frowns darkly, glowering at one of the formations before scratching through it with a loud yell.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What the fuck is he doing? How can he be thinking such sentimental thoughts?! He’s the Oni Leader, for crying out loud! For him to have such thoughts…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s pathetic…” Grimmjow mutters to himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If his father was still here and he’d learned of him having such thoughts, oh man, it would’ve been the worst beating of his life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At that thought, Grimmjow storms away from the rock formations and runs towards the plunge pool. Without thinking twice, he swiftly dives into the cool waters and starts swimming in the hopes of ridding his mind of such thoughts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even so, not even the refreshingly cold waters can rid his mind of the memories of his old man.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimmjow frowns darkly to himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He truly hates his father for how he’s turned out today, no thanks to the many beatings and abuse he’s received since he could walk. He hates how much he’d beaten the duty of avenging Shuten Douji into his very being, making it his sole destiny as the future tribe leader, eschewing everything else for that sole purpose.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And even more, he hates his mother for supporting the son of a bitch she called her husband. She’d given him no comfort, no care of any kind whenever his father had beaten or belittled him. Instead, she just engaged in her own kind of emotional abuse, “all for the sake of avenging Shuten Douji”, she’d always say.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Strangely, it’s only now he’s come to realize just how much they’ve broken him inside. Because of them, he doesn’t know what it means to be treated with love and care, and he doesn’t even have any close friendships. The only one whom he can really call a friend is Yylfordt, and even then, it’s not the same kind of camaraderie that he’d witnessed Abarai Renji have with his warriors and second-in-command.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimmjow climbs out of the plunge pool and leaves the waterfall cavern. Even now, he can still feel that void within him, the void he’s tried to fill through fighting and sex. Despite his efforts, he still feels so very empty inside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he enters his personal cavern, he sees that Yylfordt is already waiting for him like he’d requested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How was your training, Grimmjow-sama?” Yylfordt asks, giving him a towel to dry himself off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After drying himself, Grimmjow just rubs the towels on his horns. “It was fine as usual,” he says. “I’ve been thinking about the fight with Abarai Renji, though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yylfordt nods sagely. “You enjoyed that fight,” he says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I sure did,” Grimmjow agrees. “But something’s been bothering me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimmjow sits down upon a rock. “It’s the part when Abarai had mentioned Shuten Douji’s name,” he says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ever since it happened, it’s been on his mind a lot.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shortly after Grimmjow had pinned him to the ground with one of his big hands in his anger, he’d noticed some kind of strange look in Renji’s eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It hadn’t been a look of fear or anger. He doesn’t even know what to call it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Abarai had given me some kind of weird look when I’d yelled at him about speaking Shuten Douji’s name,” Grimmjow recalls, running his fingers through his damp hair. “I… I don’t know what it was. It wasn’t angry, it wasn’t terrified… I don’t even know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can you try and describe what it had looked like?” Yylfordt asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimmjow frowns. “His eyes… they looked rather soft,” he says. “It’s like he was trying to say that he’s sorry, but not like he was apologizing out of fear. It was more… understanding?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But that makes no sense? Why would Abarai want to be understanding towards his enemy?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And even more strange is that something about that gentle look in Abarai’s eyes had stirred something within Grimmjow. It has awoken a feeling that he hasn’t felt in so long: a craving for the companionship he’s wanted for so long.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He can’t believe it. How can he suddenly be craving for friendship and meaningful bonds like this?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yylfordt looks a little cautious now. “Are you having any second thoughts about the invasion on Hyakki Yagyo?” he asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimmjow looks up sharply, his reiatsu flaring slightly. “Of course not!” he snaps. “If I don’t go through with the invasion, then I’ll just be proving the old man right: that I’m nothing but a weak and worthless coward!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He gets up, his hands still trembling slightly. “I’m gonna spite them both,” he vows. “I’m gonna show ‘em that I’m better than they’ll ever hope to be, and when they see me, they’ll be crawling in shame in the fucking afterlife!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yylfordt just nods, his expression impassive. “Very well. I shall respect your wishes,” he says. “But Grimmjow-sama… you’ve already proven that you’re better than your father could ever be.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that, he leaves the cavern.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimmjow frowns, feeling a little confused at such cryptic words now.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>If I’m better than my father… then can I really go through with the invasion?</span>
  </em>
  <span> He wonders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Realizing what he’s just wondered, he shakes his head and punches the wall in anger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No. He cannot afford to think such ridiculous thoughts. He has a plan laid out, and now he has to go through with it no matter what.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even so, as he tries to think about his carefully-laid plans, he feels his resolve beginning to waver slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And deep down, Grimmjow knows that it’s no use to rid himself of his doubts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After all, even an oni can’t deny what the heart really wants.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Days have passed since the meeting at Ichimaru’s house, since the Okami Tribe and the Kitsune Clan have reached a tentative understanding with one another. Now that Hyakki Yagyo is drawing closer, Renji is beginning to feel that all four ruling clans have worked hard to earn the collective trust of himself and the rest of the okami, thus sealing his resolve to help them fight against the Oni Tribe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In between his training and communicating with the rest of the okami in Momiji no Mori, he’s also been spending time with Byakuya, and with Rukia and her friends. So it’s definitely safe to say that there’s been a lot of progress in forming and strengthening many relationships so far.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tonight, both Renji and Komamura have found themselves accompanying Rukia for some kind of night-out with her friends at the same teahouse where Inoue Orihime works. This time, Byakuya isn’t with them, but it’s alright for the most part.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Currently, Renji is seated at a table with Komamura, Shiba, Rukia, Matsumoto, Kurosaki, and Inoue as they all enjoy tea and food, all while watching the entertainment being provided. Also at their table are a few of Matsumoto’s other friends: a kamaitachi named Hisagi Shuuhei and a tenshi named Hinamori Momo, both of whom have been curious to meet him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, what do you think of Ashihara right now?” Hisagi asks him, taking a sip of sake. “You’ve been living here for almost a month, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji nods. “It’s good, I suppose,” he says. “Everyone here is pretty nice, and we like it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Does that mean you and the rest of the Okami Tribe will be returning to Ashihara when Hyakki Yagyo finishes?” Hinamori asks earnestly, her pure-white silk shawl shimmering under the light of the teahouse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe so,” Renji says. “Hopefully everything goes well on Hyakki Yagyo for it to happen.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Matsumoto just smiles cheekily. “See what I told you?” she coos. “He’s a total cutie!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji blushes a little, earning some amused laughter from everyone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But he’s also quite a skilled fighter,” Rukia chimes in with a smile. “After all, he managed to take on the Oni Leader pretty recently, you know?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ehhh, seriously?” Kurosaki looks amazed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now that sounds like quite a story!” Inoue adds, looking just as amazed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mind telling us that story then?” Shiba asks, raising an eyebrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another blush crosses Renji’s face as he glances at Komamura, who nods with an amused glint in his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Swallowing his mouthful of sake, he decides to tell the story. “Alright then,” he says. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to share it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And so, he starts to retell the events of the fight against Grimmjow in Momiji no Mori, explaining everything that happened, from the sudden ambush to the fight itself, and even mentioning how he and Ichimaru had managed to work together. As he retells this story, everyone seems to listen with amazement, especially when he talks about how much he enjoyed the fight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But later on, when he’s sitting outside in the teahouse gardens for some quiet time, he finds himself thinking about one moment during the fight that really stands out to him: the moment when Grimmjow had gotten enraged at the mere mention of Shuten Douji’s name.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji can still remember the look he’d seen in Grimmjow’s eyes at that. In addition to rage and anger, there had been a hint of </span>
  <em>
    <span>pain</span>
  </em>
  <span> in his eyes, and something about that is quite a surprise for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’d thought that Grimmjow would be proud to be a descendant of Shuten Douji, right? So then why had he looked so furious?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And it hadn’t only been pain in Grimmjow’s eyes. There had even been what had looked like </span>
  <em>
    <span>hurt</span>
  </em>
  <span> for a brief moment, as if he’d been some lost, scared teenage youkai in that moment. Just what has the Oni Leader gone through to harbour so much hatred towards his ancestors?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And strangely enough, Renji wants to get to know Grimmjow a bit more. There is clearly a lot more to the Oni Leader than what meets the eye, considering how similar they both are in personality.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Could we have been friends in another lifetime?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Renji wonders absentmindedly to himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s a strange thought for him to have, but even so, perhaps it’s possible for him and Grimmjow to be friends in a different life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he mulls over his thoughts, Renji hears footsteps and notices Shiba coming up to him and sitting down on the engawa porch that surrounds the gardens.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing out here?” he asks casually.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just needed some time to myself,” Renji admits. “I’ve been thinking a lot about the fight against Grimmjow, and there’s one part that really stands out to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go on.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“During the fight, I brought up Shuten Douji to Grimmjow,” he recalls. “He… He got angry. No, not just angry. He was </span>
  <em>
    <span>furious.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He told me to never say his name in front of him, pinned me to the ground with one of his big hands, and was just really pissed off. But he wasn’t insulted on behalf of Shuten Douji; it’s as if he hated the mere mention of Shuten Douji himself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shiba nods, looking a little curious. “Why’s it bothering you?” he asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji just sighs quietly. “I can’t help but wonder what happened to Grimmjow to have made him so hateful to his ancestors,” he says. “He didn’t just look angry. When I looked into his eyes, I saw something like pain in them. I know, it’s probably weird that I want to understand what happened to the Oni Leader, but I can’t help it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s nothing wrong with that,” Shiba reassures him with a smile. “Really, it says a lot that you’re able to have compassion for someone who’s supposed to be an enemy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At that, Renji smiles briefly. “I guess it also helps that Grimmjow and I are kinda similar in personality,” he admits. “We both love a good fight, and he’s very much a father to the rest of the oni. I can definitely respect those parts of him. In fact… I think he and I could’ve been friends in another lifetime.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shiba raises an eyebrow. “Damn, Abarai-kun,” he says, looking impressed. “You’ve got a pretty big heart. No wonder all the okami adore you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re not angry that I’m thinking like this?” Renji asks, looking a little surprised.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like I said, there’s nothing wrong with having those thoughts,” Shiba tells him. “It’s perfectly alright to wonder such things about an enemy. But it’s important to remember to uphold your duties in fighting an enemy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” Renji murmurs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both sit in silence for a brief moment before Shiba speaks again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ichimaru hasn’t given you much trouble, right?” he asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji shakes his head. “No, he hasn’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And what about Kuchiki Byakuya? What’s it like staying in his manor?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before he realizes, a soft smile crosses his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I really appreciate everything he’s done for us,” Renji admits, staring up at the evening sky. “He might be aloof and all, but he can really be kind and caring in his own way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh?” Shiba’s smile becomes a bit more playful. “Is that so?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. When I first met him, I thought he was pretty cold and aloof, but it turns out he’s got a soft side to him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sounds like you’re in love, my friend!” Shiba laughs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji’s eyes widen slightly and he blushes deeply. “Wh-What are you saying?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I can’t blame ya,” Shiba teases. “Kuchiki Byakuya is a gorgeous youkai, and he’s quite a character as well. And I’ve seen how he looks at you, so I guess the feeling is mutual too!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Again, Renji’s blush deepens even more, much to his dismay.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re… not mad?” he asks. “Isn’t there any law that forbids clan leaders from dating each other or something?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nah, not at all,” Shiba reassures him. “If anything though, the clan elders might get a little upset if they find out. But then again, Kuchiki’s the clan leader now, so I don’t think he’ll give a damn. He might deny it, but he’s still that stubborn and spirited punk he used to be as a kid.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Er… right…” Renji chuckles awkwardly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now, why don’t you come back in?” Shiba encourages. “I’m sure Hisagi and Hinamori wish to hear more stories from you, Abarai-kun.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji and Shiba head back into the teahouse just in time to hear the end of a discussion at their table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, what’d we miss?” Renji asks them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, Rukia here was just telling us about the leader of the Tengu Clan who took part in the battle of Shuten Douji,” Matsumoto says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And it got us curious about the ancient Okami Leader,” Hisagi adds, glancing at Renji. “Do you or Komamura know anything about him?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Raising an eyebrow slightly, Renji nods with a smile. “Oh, of course,” he says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As if anyone would forget Tousen Kaname,” Komamura agrees. “He was brave and honourable, and he is who every Okami Leader must strive to be like.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, basically what he said,” Renji adds. “I’m not a descendant of his, but I’m proud of being able to uphold his noble legacy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I think anyone would,” Kurosaki says, taking a bite of takoyaki from the plate on the table. “Mind telling us more of what you know about him?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No problem.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And so, for the rest of the outing, Renji is content to share more stories and talk with everyone else at the table. But after some time, he starts feeling a little worn out and decides to head back to the manor for the night, hopefully to get some alone time with Byakuya.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, I’d better be heading back,” Renji says, getting up from the table. “Thanks for having me here, and it was great to meet you two.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I might stay a bit longer,” Komamura says. “Would that be alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rukia smiles up at Renji. “Have a good night, Renji,” she says. “I’ll see you a bit later.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once he’s said good night to everyone at the table, Renji heads out of the teahouse and starts making his way back to the Kuchiki Manor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By now, the sun has fully set, and the sky is now an inky-blue, dotted with many stars that shine brightly. It’s a little cool, but it’s nothing for Renji; he’s experienced much colder weather before. Besides, it’s the pleasant kind of cool; nothing too unbearable.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he walks back to the manor, he notices Rikichi coming out from an izakaya, followed by Risako, his new tengu girlfriend. They’re both giggling and flirting with one another, lost in each other’s company, and Renji can’t help smiling at the scene before him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rikichi has already told him how Risako is apparently from a minor noble family, and that he’s managed to meet them recently. Even though her parents are rather disapproving of him, it’s not stopped either of them from continuing their relationship with each other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Honestly, he’s happy for them. Hopefully their relationship continues to grow and develop from there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a short while, Renji finally reaches the manor, but when he enters the complex, he notices a servant coming up to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Welcome back, Abarai-sama,” the servant greets. “Byakuya-sama is waiting for you in his private onsen. He instructed me to inform you to meet him there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji blinks, surprised for a moment. “R-Right,” he says, his cheeks heating up slightly. “Thanks for letting me know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Clearly Byakuya has something else in mind by deciding to have him meet him there. And just thinking about it makes Renji’s cheeks warm as he feels a faint arousal starting to stir within him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eventually, he reaches the shoji doors to the outdoor private onsen, slowly sliding it open and stepping outside to see quite an impressive sight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The onsen is quite large. Steam drifts over and from the water’s surface, creating a rather mystical atmosphere as it drifts through the air. But that’s nothing compared to the sight of Byakuya in the onsen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya is immersed up to his shoulders in the warm waters, his hair spilling freely in a way that can only be described as sensual. His feathers glisten in the light of the moon and lanterns, the black feathers appearing purple and green as always, and his skin looks much paler than usual.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looks absolutely alluring, more like a water spirit than a tengu right now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As if sensing his presence, Byakuya looks up, and that’s when Renji notices that his eyes seem to hold a seductive glint to them. And those red markings near his eyes… oh, they make him look so much more sensual right now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s good to see you here, Renji,” Byakuya greets, his voice laced with a strangely coy undertone. “Perhaps you would like to join me for a late night soak?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji blinks, his cheeks heating up quickly as he registers his request. “O-Of course!” he says, flustered. “I’d love to!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Excellent,” Byakuya says, looking rather amused now. “The bathing facilities are in the door next to that one.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right. Excuse me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By now, Renji’s heart is pounding hard against his chest, and as he strips out of his clothes and washes himself with soap and a bucket of warm water, he feels a surge of anticipation within him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For Byakuya to invite him like this… there’s no doubting what he has in mind right now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once he’s cleaned himself off, Renji wraps a towel around his waist and heads out to the onsen itself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji sighs in relief as he slowly steps down into the warm waters, the ends of his free-flowing hair dipping into the water, and then he makes his way over to where Byakuya is sitting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Almost instantly, the moment he sits down, Byakuya moves closer and leans into his chest, letting out a content sigh as he does so.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Smiling slightly, Renji just wraps his arm around his waist and pulls him close. And as he presses a kiss on the top of his head, he inhales the jasmine-scented aroma of Byakuya’s soft hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have a nice onsen,” he says. “Thanks for inviting me here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya nods slowly, just idly tracing the interlocking tattoos on Renji’s pecs. “Thank you for staying here,” he murmurs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everything is so perfect right now. With the tranquility of the night surrounding them, as well as the feeling of Byakuya leaning into him, Renji cannot imagine anything more romantic than this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He then feels Byakuya’s hand slowly trailing upward to his head, and he looks down to see a curious expression on his face as he reaches up and tentatively rubs his ear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji inhales sharply, making Byakuya pause, but then he just nods reassuringly. As Byakuya resumes rubbing his ear, he closes his eyes with a happy sigh, enjoying the pleasant warmth that spreads through him.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, that feels so good… </span>
  </em>
  <span>Renji thinks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then, he feels Byakuya pressing kisses on his forehead, his cheeks, and he opens his eyes to see just how lovingly he regards him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What’s gotten him so affectionate right now? Well, whatever it is, Renji is certainly not complaining about it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His hands slowly roam over Byakuya’s soft skin before they brush against his wings. At that, Byakuya gasps slightly, and a blush stains his cheeks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“S-Sorry ‘bout that…” Renji says, blushing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No… it’s alright…” Byakuya reassures him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then, he gently caresses Renji’s face before pressing his forehead against his. “Hold me close, Renji,” he whispers, his voice filled with longing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji’s heart flutters slightly, and he smiles. “Of course,” he agrees. “Let’s get out of here first. We wouldn’t want to dirty the waters.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re right,” Byakuya murmurs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s a miracle that they somehow manage to maintain their composure and not succumb to their growing lust as they dry themselves off, put on a fresh yukata (or just put on some jinbei pants in Renji’s case), and then head down to Byakuya’s chambers. Even so, Renji can practically feel the lust that rolls off from Byakuya as they near his bedroom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The moment they enter the room and close the door, however, Renji pulls Byakuya close and smothers his lips with his own in an all-consuming kiss, placing one hand on Byakuya’s nape to hold him close.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya clings onto him, as if he’s swept up by the magnitude of such an intense kiss. But Renji doesn’t slow down at all; he tastes the sweetness of his mouth, lets his hands slide beneath Byakuya’s yukata, lets him palm him through his pants, and doesn’t stop kissing until the need for air becomes too much.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even then, Renji doesn’t stop. His heart pounds against his chest as he slides his lips down Byakuya’s neck, all while whispering seductive words to him he’d never imagined saying.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I want you to let go, Byakuya,” he purrs seductively, enjoying the way Byakuya gasps softly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Renji…” Byakuya whispers, his voice hoarse with desire.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Surrender to me. And let me see you come undone,” Renji murmurs against his neck, pulling away to enjoy just how aroused Byakuya looks right now. “You trust me, don’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya nods. “Yes… I trust you,” he says softly.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>A soft sob of pleasure escapes Byakuya’s lips as he closes his eyes, letting Renji’s seductive words wash over him, and he feels him removing his yukata with the utmost care to his wings and feathers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By now, he’s fully exposed before Renji, who regards him reverently before removing his jinbei pants so that he’s just as exposed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re so beautiful…” Renji whispers to him as he pushes him down onto the futon, his hands pressing against his skin. “So perfect…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya leans up to kiss him again, and Renji happily accepts his kiss, their tongues brushing together as their hands roam over each other’s skin. A fire burns deep within Byakuya, and it can only be quenched by Renji’s sweet and tender touches.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji slides his lips over Byakuya’s body, leaving a trail of heated kisses, and Byakuya is now mindless with desire as he clutches the sheets. But Renji just holds him tenderly, their bodies flushed, the heat between them so completely precious, and Byakuya can’t help but moan softly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their arousals are pressed against each other, and Renji props himself up slightly before moving his hips in such a way that has Byakuya clinging onto him desperately from the delicious friction.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m gonna make you mine,” Renji murmurs into his ear, his husky voice rolling pleasantly over him. “I wanna kiss you and taste you until you can’t take it anymore, and then I’ll do it all over again until you’re begging for more.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya can’t conceal his moans, and he can feel the pleasure slowly building up within him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everything about Renji is absolutely addicting. His kisses are sweet and passionate, his touches are so tender, and Byakuya has never been more happy to surrender to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their lips meet in another heated kiss, whispering each other’s names in ragged breaths that are unbecoming of someone of Byakuya’s rank, yet neither of them care right now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya is getting closer, and he can feel the heat building up even more within him. He can’t take it anymore. He needs that release.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m so close…” he whispers desperately. “Renji, I…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come,” Renji coaxes gently, kissing his jaw. “Come for me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And with that, Byakuya feels his whole body ignite as Renji kisses him once more. Seconds later, he feels Renji’s release on his hip, and he smiles faintly at the thought of being the reason that Renji has come undone now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their breathing echoes in the silence of the room as they come down from their high, and Byakuya just lies there as he feels Renji cleaning them both with a cloth before settling down next to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His warmth practically surrounds Byakuya as he wraps his arms around his body and whispers sweet nothings into his ears, and Byakuya just leans into him with a content smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Beautiful…” Renji murmurs over and over again. “So beautiful…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, my love…” Byakuya whispers as sleep begins to take hold of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Never before has he felt so secure and safe, but now that he’s in the arms of someone he loves and trusts, he wants to feel this way over and over again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And as he succumbs to sleep, he circles his arms around Renji to hold him close and cherish his warmth, one he hasn’t felt in so long.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Again, I'm having fun with portraying Grimmjow in this fanfic, to be honest. He and Renji are rather similar in their personalities, and I think they could easily be friends ;)</p><p>Also, I liked writing this intimate scene between Renji and Byakuya now; it was honestly very beautiful for me to write.</p><p>Please let me know how I did, and have a good one!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Ceremony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hyakki Yagyo arrives, and Renji not only makes an important decision regarding the Okami Tribe, but he also fulfills his duty as a clan leader by partaking in the ceremony at the Hogyoku-ji shrine.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>At last, Hyakki Yagyo has come! Honestly, this was a tough chapter to write. I based the ceremony off of traditional Shinto ceremonies, which are truly fascinating to read about.</p><p>And plus, there's some cuteness between our boys at the beginning ;)</p><p>I hope you all enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>After that wonderful night, when Byakuya had allowed himself to surrender to Renji and let himself feel the most exquisite pleasure he’d felt in so long, they’ve both come to share the same futon many times since then.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sometimes they’ll make love in his room, but sometimes, they’ll just lie down in each other’s arms, listening to each other’s heartbeat. Either one is just fine for Byakuya; after all, they both have their own appeal, and so long as he’s with Renji in this futon, then it’s all just perfect.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Really, though, it still amazes Byakuya that he’s managed to fall in love with someone so sweet and thoughtful like the Okami Leader himself. Renji is so passionate, so loving, and so genuine that it’s easy to open up to him and trust him. The fact that he doesn’t judge him for who he is, and that he is willing to trust him in return… it’s truly a privilege that Byakuya is blessed to have.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Currently, Byakuya lies on his back upon the futon, trying to catch his breath from yet another wonderful love-making session that he and Renji have engaged in. The shoji door has been opened just a crack to let in the warm light of the late afternoon, and his cheeks burn slightly as he recalls their most recent time together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Next to him, Renji also rests and tries to catch his breath, his cheeks flushed and a goofy smile on his face as he rolls onto his side to look at Byakuya and admiring his bare body.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That was so fucking hot, Byakuya,” he says with a smile, stroking his fingers through his feathers. “I didn’t know you had it in you to be like that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya’s cheeks burn even harder. “Please don’t…” he protests quietly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In all honesty, though, this most recent love-making had been pretty sensual. This time, Byakuya had straddled Renji, kissed down his chest and traced his tattoos with his tongue, then rode him like it would be the last thing he’d ever do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Never has he done something so shameless in his entire life, but he can’t really find it in him to be ashamed of himself. Not when Renji is smiling so lovingly at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He feels Renji’s lips pressing kisses on the red markings at the corners of his eyes, and he turns to give him a short kiss before moving his own fingers to Renji’s ears. As he gently rubs behind them before combing his fingers through his surprisingly soft red hair, Renji lets out a content sigh before leaning into Byakuya’s bare chest like a friendly puppy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Honestly, it amazes Byakuya just how sweet and loving this Okami Leader is; a sharp contrast to his fierce and wild appearance. But he’s certainly not complaining about it, that’s for sure.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Renji strokes his wings again, Byakuya lets his mind wander to yet another pressing matter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hyakki Yagyo is coming soon,” he says, listening to the birdsong from outside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He feels Renji nod against his chest. “Yeah,” he agrees. “I can’t stop thinking about my fight against Grimmjow in Momiji no Mori.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya frowns slightly. “What happened?” he asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji pulls away so he can sit up, pulling the covers over the lower half of his exposed body. “Grimmjow and I… we’re not that different from each other,” he says. “I can’t help but wonder if we could’ve been friends in a different life.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At that, Byakuya frowns slightly, rolling onto his side to look at him. “Friends?” he repeats, pulling the covers over his own lower half.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah…” Now, Renji looks more somber and pensive. “But what surprised me the most was that Grimmjow seemed rather… broken.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now this is a surprise to hear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“During our fight, I happened to mention Shuten Douji, his ancestor,” Renji continues. “Grimmjow had gotten so angry at the mere mention of his name, but it wasn’t just anger I saw in his eyes. There had been pain, hurt… he didn’t seem offended on behalf of his ancestor at all.” He sighs. “I actually felt kind of bad for him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya raises an eyebrow. Well, he certainly hadn’t expected to hear that someone would feel sorry for an oni, let alone the Oni Leader, but he’s not angry at this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If anything, he’s more curious about Renji’s thoughts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why do you feel bad for him?” Byakuya asks gently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve felt that kind of anger and pain,” Renji explains. “It’s obvious that Grimmjow is hurting over something that happened in the past. In fact, I think he’s only doing this invasion as a way of proving something to somebody.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>How insightful… </span>
  </em>
  <span>Byakuya thinks to himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So what do you plan to do on Hyakki Yagyo?” he asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji glances at him. “I don’t want to just fight Grimmjow,” he says. “I want to try and understand him a little better, and just hear him out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Again, Byakuya can’t help but be amazed. He’d never thought that Renji’s good-hearted nature could rival that of Inoue Orihime’s, and yet it does.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You really do have a big heart,” he muses.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then again, he’s not too surprised. Renji just seems to have that special ability to see within anyone’s soul and identify the turbulent emotions that may roil within them. After all, he’d managed to see within Byakuya’s soul, see the loneliness that had haunted him for so long…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It still amazes him that he’s managed to fall in love with such a man.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re intrigued by Grimmjow,” Byakuya continues musing. “But what exactly about him intrigues you, other than the pain in his eyes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji is silent for a moment as he thinks over his answer. “When I looked at him… I was kinda reminded of myself,” he admits. “I know what that kind of pain feels like, how much it hurts. And besides, if I can reach an understanding with him, I won’t have to kill him or cause any more destruction.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya slowly runs his fingers through Renji’s hair. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He really is a lot more kind and merciful, isn’t he? Leave it to him to try and settle this conflict without bloodshed… </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>But then again, it’s just another reason why he’s come to love the Okami Leader so dearly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That’s when he remembers something else.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m curious, Renji,” Byakuya says, getting Renji’s attention. “What are your plans for after Hyakki Yagyo?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While his question might be innocent enough, Renji is quick to pick up on the hidden meaning behind his words.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji turns to look at him, his eyes glinting slightly as he smiles gently. “Well, I think you and the rest of the clan leaders have worked hard to earn the trust of myself, and that of the Okami Tribe,” he says, caressing Byakuya’s cheek with the back of his fingers. “When it’s over, I think we’ll be moving back to the Inuzuri district.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya’s heart practically soars upon hearing that, and he can’t hide the smile that crosses his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Likewise, Renji just smiles shyly and averts his eyes. “I mean, there are still a lot of repairs to do there,” he says. “But us okami are pretty good at constructing buildings fast enough. I’m sure we might be able to finish things up by the time the first snowfall comes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s wonderful to hear,” Byakuya tells him sincerely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He then finds himself pulled in for a sweet and tender kiss, one that he savours completely in spite of its shortness. And when Renji pulls away, he brushes his lips against the red markings upon his forehead, sending a thrill down his spine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ve done a lot to help me trust you,” Renji tells him softly, lying back on the futon. “And I truly appreciate it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya kisses Renji’s forehead this time, then rests his head against it. “And I’ll continue to help,” he promises. “I’ll make sure you and the rest of the okami can readjust to living in Ashihara again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji smiles at that. “Thank you, Byakuya,” he whispers. “Thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Again, Byakuya’s heart flutters against his chest as he hears the gratitude in his voice, and he knows right then that things cannot be more perfect than they are right now.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>At last, the day of Hyakki Yagyo is here. While the skies might be clear and bright, there is still a tense foreboding that lingers through the air of Ashihara, no doubt because of what is coming.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji walks alongside Byakuya, followed by Rukia and the tengu soldiers and Komamura and the okami warriors, as they make their way to the Hogyoku-ji shrine in the Junrinan district of the Raiju Clan, where they will soon perform the ceremony to strengthen the shrine barriers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He can’t help but feel tense as they near the shrine complex. He knows that they will have to fight against the Oni Tribe soon, but even so, he can’t bring himself to think about killing Grimmjow. And speaking of Grimmjow, he’s been thinking even more about that troubled expression he’d had during their fight in Momiji no Mori.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Could the invasion really be a source of inner turmoil for Grimmjow? It’s strange to believe that he’d be conflicted about invading Ashihara, but if his goal is to avenge Shuten Douji, one would think he wouldn’t get so angry at the mere mention of his name.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And yet he did.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Renji thinks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In all honesty, he genuinely doesn’t want to kill Grimmjow. Can he somehow try and understand whatever it is that is tormenting him right now? Can he somehow manage to get through to him?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you thinking about, Renji?” Byakuya asks, interrupting his thoughts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji blinks, then looks down as he answers. “Again… it’s about Grimmjow,” he admits. “Like I said before, I don’t want to kill him. I want to try and understand him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya nods slowly. “It’s not bad to want to understand your enemy,” he says. “But you need to remember not to become soft in battle. You might want to understand the Oni Leader, but you don’t know whether he feels the same way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I guess,” Renji agrees.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But does Grimmjow not feel the same way? If he didn’t, he wouldn’t have been looking so pained, so troubled, wouldn’t he?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you ready for the ceremony?” Byakuya asks him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I suppose I am. I do hope everything goes well, though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure they will,” Rukia says with a reassuring smile. “Just remember to stay calm.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Right then, Komamura approaches Renji. “You said that Iba and the hunters will be arriving at the temple, right?” he recalls.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They will,” Renji says. “And hopefully they have some good news for us from Momiji no Mori.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then, Komamura looks a little bit unsure of something.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How do you think they might react if they learn that you plan on moving everyone back to Ashihara?” he asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji frowns thoughtfully. “I don’t know,” he says. “I hope they’ll understand why I’ve made this decision. I think it would be good for us to return to our former home, now that I know how hard the other clan leaders have worked.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Komamura nods. “They have worked hard, indeed,” he agrees. “But it will take some time for us to get used to living in Ashihara once more.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re right. But I’m sure we’ll enjoy this process together,” Renji says with a smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After making up his mind about having the Okami Tribe return to Ashihara and restore the Inuzuri district to its former glory, Renji had relayed his decision to Komamura and the rest of the okami warriors, as well as to Iba and the rest of the tribe through a jigokucho. Surprisingly, most of the reactions had been positive, even from Komamura, oddly enough.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even then, Renji cannot complain about that. Not when it’s clear that pretty much everyone is looking forward to returning to their former village and restoring it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Of course, it will take some time for them to get used to living amongst other youkai after one hundred years of self-imposed isolation. But Renji cannot wait to see what the future will hold for them in Ashihara again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After some time, they finally arrive at the shrine, where they see quite a large crowd of various youkai waiting outside the complex itself. And among the youkai waiting, Renji sees Iba and the band of okami hunters as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smiles as Iba notices his presence and heads right towards him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s good to see you, Abarai!” Iba greets, bowing immediately.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Likewise,” Renji says. “How was it, governing the village in my absence?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Everything has been going well!” Iba tells him jovially. “It was a little bit daunting, I won’t lie. But I managed to do pretty well for the most part.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No troubles on our hunting grounds?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“None at all, surprisingly enough. Anyways, how has everything been in Ashihara?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji nods. “They’ve been fine,” he says. “You’ve gotten the news that we plan on moving back to our former territory in Inuzuri, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right,” Iba says with a nod.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All the clan leaders have worked hard at regaining our trust,” Renji explains. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Even the Kitsune Leader?” Iba looks surprised.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, even the Kitsune Leader,” Renji says. “I’ll admit, it was a little difficult at first, but I think we’ve both managed to reach some kind of mutual understanding.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Iba nods, looking a little unsure. “I… I guess I don’t know what to say about that,” he says. “But what made you decide to move us all back to Inuzuri?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji looks down as he considers his answer. “To start off, I’ve been wanting to try and rebuild ties with the rest of the Ruling Council,” he confesses. “Besides, this is a newer generation, one that is truly disgusted with the actions of their ancestors during the massacre. And considering that the Tengu Leader has promised to help us regain our former glory, I think returning to our former land sounds like a great thing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I suppose so…” Iba folds his arms across his chest. “But let’s hope things work out well enough.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure they will, Iba,” Komamura reassures him. “The Oni Tribe won’t stand a chance against any of us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji smiles slightly upon hearing those words.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Leave it to Komamura to be so strong and confident in his faith. Hell, his level of faith is enough to restore confidence in even the most jaded and cynical of youkai.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have you finished, now?” Byakuya asks, approaching them. “It’s almost time for the ceremony to start, and we must go into the shrine and prepare for it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After bidding Komamura, Iba, and the rest of the okami a short goodbye, Renji turns to follow Byakuya, Ichimaru, Shiba, and Shihouin to the shrine complex itself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yet again, he finds himself admiring the beauty of the shrine building with its white stucco and vermillion woodwork, and especially of the view of the torii gate out on the exposed seabed. It might be his third time at the shrine officially, but its beauty never fails to truly amaze him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It sounds like the rest of the Okami Tribe have approved of your decision, Abarai,” Shiba observes with a smile. “Well, I can’t wait to see you all back in Inuzuri again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Me too. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Renji thinks to himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m glad you’ve decided to work together with us,” Shihouin adds, also smiling in that catlike way of hers. “And I’m glad to hear that all has been forgiven.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Renji agrees. “It’s been a little tough, but I think we’re ready to mend fences for real.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To think that he and the Okami Tribe are finally going to be returning from their self-imposed isolation after one hundred years… he still can’t really believe it’s actually going to happen for real.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s not going to lie, though. A part of him is actually looking forward to restoring the ruins of Inuzuri back to their former glory, but what he truly looks forward to is being able to reside close enough to Byakuya. And he certainly can’t wait to show off the restored Inuzuri to Byakuya again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they walk down the kairo corridors, Renji begins to notice the increased presence of youkai priests and miko who are also heading down in the same direction as them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For some reason, Renji feels like he’s accomplishing something important by partaking in this sacred ceremony.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Is this how all the other Okami Leaders of the past have felt when they partook in this important ceremony for the first time in their lives? Did they all feel this strange, swelling pride within themselves as they’d walked down the corridor to perform their role in the ceremony?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Either way, Renji cannot deny how much he likes this feeling. This is what it’s like to be a part of the Ruling Council, to have dignity and honour in taking part in such an important ceremony like this one.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before long, they arrive at the honden, and Renji can feel the strong and crushing reiatsu of the Hogyoku once more. And at the same time, he can feel some kind of weakening force in the air.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Without a doubt, this weakening sensation is that of the barrier.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As all the other clan leaders move to get everything organized for their part in the ceremony, a miko comes up to Renji, holding a bronze thurible and some sweet-smelling incense sticks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For you, Abarai-san,” the priest tells him. “This is agarwood incense, used strictly for this ceremony.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I see,” Renji says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Having received instructions on what to do and how to burn the incense, he decides to get it ready.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that, he opens up the thurible and removes the metal crucible from within. The priest helps him put some burning charcoal within the crucible, and Renji follows it with the agarwood sticks upon the charcoal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once the sweet smoke starts to burn, Renji closes the thurible, allowing the smoke to billow from the decorative holes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now, you must stand outside on the open-air deck,” the miko explains to him. “Slowly wave the thurible to let the smoke spread, and replace the incense wood whenever the smoke slows down.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” Renji says with a nod.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He heads outside to stand in front of the raised stage, looking out at the view of the torii gate on the exposed seabed for a brief moment before he turns to see the rest of the clan leaders finishing their preparation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shihouin still wears her usual kimono, but in her hand, she holds suzu bells and a bamboo cane for the dance. Likewise, the miko who are joining her also have some bells in their hands as they prepare to dance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shiba stands before an ensemble of musicians, all of them having their instruments set up as he makes sure everyone is ready. At the same time, Byakuya gets the priests and miko ready to chant the prayers to the spirit of the Hogyoku itself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“At last, it’s time for the ceremony to begin,” Byakuya announces solemnly. “Let us bring out the Hogyoku to purify.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji bows along with everyone else, and when he stands upright, that’s when he sees Shiba leading the musicians in playing the holy music of the shrine. The flute starts off first, sounding almost mournful before it’s followed by the panpipes and hichiriki. As those wind instruments play a solemn melody, they’re followed by the percussional tsuri-daiko and biwa lute.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone remains silent as the musicians continue playing this solemn and spiritual melody, all while Ichimaru retrieves the Hogyoku from behind the lattice doors. Reverently, he carries it from its resting spot to the middle of the haraiden, then sets it down upon the floor before retrieving a pail of water for the purification, along with a ladle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As this goes on, Renji slowly paces back and forth on the open-air deck, holding the thurible up by its chain as he lets the smoke drift into the air. The more he slowly moves it, the more the smoke creates a mist-like screen that seems to purify the air itself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While Ichimaru scoops up some water into the ladle, that’s when Shihouin and the miko on the elevated stage begin to dance to the rhythm of the new melody. Every now and then, they’ll shake their suzu bells to the beat, all while dancing long, slow, graceful movements that’s almost mesmerizing to watch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At the same time, Byakuya starts to lead the priests and miko in reciting the ancient kotodama. It’s as if a trance settles upon him as he starts to chant the prayers in that velvety rich baritone of his. And when the voices of the priests and miko join in with a unique harmony that blends together, it’s absolutely fascinating.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In fact, Renji himself can feel a trance-like state beginning to take hold of him right now. It’s as if the spirit of the Hogyoku has manifested to place everyone beneath its spell, and with the incense smoke thickening now, it really enhances the inherent spirituality of the whole ceremony.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All while this takes place, Ichimaru purifies the Hogyoku with water, and then he beckons Renji to come over for his part in purification.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a slight nod, Renji strides towards the Hogyoku as if in a trance, and slowly casts the incense smoke upon the jewel cluster to cleanse it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The air is sweet with the smell of burning agarwood, and coupled with the hypnotic chanting, the solemn melody, and the visions of the sacred dance, it’s truly a unique experience that he’s never had before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Was this how the former Okami Leaders had felt when they took part in this ceremony? Did they also feel like they were under a trance with all the chanting and music and incense smoke?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Of course, Renji makes sure to keep his eyes and ears alert to sense any dark and ominous reiatsu, or any evil spirits that might try and come towards the shrine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But as he does this, he notices that the sky seems to shimmer a little bit, as well as the view past the torii gate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And that’s when it becomes clear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Some kind of translucent membrane becomes visible around the whole shrine complex, looking a little bit weak right now. But gradually, the shield starts to strengthen once more as the ceremony progresses, and there’s no doubting just what exactly this shield is.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The barrier… </span>
  </em>
  <span>Renji thinks to himself as he heads back out onto the deck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the ceremony gradually comes to an end, the barrier slowly fades into invisibility once more, another process that’s absolutely fascinating to watch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eventually, the chanting and music slowly come to an end. At this point, though, the air of the haraiden is thick with the smell of agarwood incense, and it takes a moment for Renji to be released from the trance, and it’s like he’s hit with a shock of cold water as he comes back to reality.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ichimaru has taken the Hogyoku back to its resting spot, placing it back upon its platform before sliding the lattice doors shut.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By now, it’s already evening, and the sun is well on its way to the horizon. But it’s nowhere near over yet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Right then, the same miko approaches Renji. “I will take the thurible back,” she says quietly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Y-Yeah…” Renji says, blinking as he hands it back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>God, now his head feels rather heavy from the whole experience.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The ceremony has been completed,” Byakuya says. “Now, we must wait outside the complex for the Oni Leader and his warriors.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Again, Renji nods slowly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well? How was it?” Shiba asks, approaching him with a smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was pretty interesting,” Renji admits. “But my head feels a little heavy now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shihouin chuckles. “Don’t worry,” she says. “The first time always feels like that. This whole ceremony is a sensory experience, after all. It gets better as time goes on, though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone makes their way down the kairo corridors to the exit of the shrine complex, and the somber atmosphere returns to hang in the air again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, I noticed something about the barrier,” Ichimaru says, getting everyone’s attention. “It seemed a lot stronger now than it had been after the ceremonies since the Okami Tribe’s flight into Momiji no Mori.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya nods. “Perhaps it’s because we had the presence of the Okami Leader once more,” he muses.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even Renji can’t help but feel a little surprised at that. Does the presence or absence of a clan leader really change things that much?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Well, one thing’s for sure, the barrier will be much stronger than it had been from now on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they emerge from the shrine complex back outside, Renji notices that most of the crowd has dispersed now. The only ones standing outside are the warriors and samurai of each of the Ruling Clans, as well as a few warriors from other youkai clans.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And by now, night is getting closer. The air is a bit chilly, but Renji barely even flinches.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s gone through colder temperatures than this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Right then, he senses it. That dark and foreboding reiatsu.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji tenses up, keeping his gaze trained on the nearby forest as the wind rustles through the trees.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’re coming,” he says, getting everyone’s attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All the clan leaders hold themselves firm as they prepare for the inevitable fight. The dark reiatsu becomes stronger and stronger as the oni draw closer, and Renji’s heart pounds against his chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>They’re almost here… </span>
  </em>
  <span>He thinks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Right then, a familiar figure steps out from within the forest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yo.” There’s a wild grin on Grimmjow’s face as he emerges from the forest, followed by his army of oni warriors. “Nice of you all to wait for me.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And now, things get real dangerous! Next chapter will be the fight between Renji and Grimmjow, and I definitely can't wait to write it out!</p><p>Please let me know how I did, and have a good one!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Battle of the Demons</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>As the clan leaders engage in an intense fight against the Oni Tribe, Renji figures out everything that's happened to Grimmjow, and why he's so troubled and broken.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Here it is: the fight against the Oni Tribe! Honestly, this chapter was a bit tough to write, so I hope I managed to do well!</p><p>I recommend you listen to this piece of music from the "Okami" OST: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBaele3z2lU"> Exorcizing Evil</a>. It really gives a nice mood for the fight.</p><p>I hope you all enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Adrenaline surges through Grimmjow’s veins as he emerges from the forest to find all five clan leaders waiting for him outside the shrine complex, and he can’t help but lick his lips with anticipation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This is definitely going to be a great fight. And with Abarai Renji looking as fierce and determined as ever, Grimmjow definitely can’t wait to fight him again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beside him, Kenpachi, the strongest oni warrior, grins excitedly as he gets a look at the waiting clan leaders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They all look like good fighters,” he says. “I can’t wait to fight ‘em all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You got that right,” Ikkaku, one of the oni warriors, agrees with a grin. “Wonder which one of ‘em is gonna give a good fight?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Abarai Renji is mine, though,” Grimmjow reminds him. “So don’t get in the way of my fight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By now, night has fallen at last. The sky is now inky-blue, and the only sources of light in the area are from several lanterns and from the stars that dot the sky itself. The only thing missing from the sky is the moon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But that makes things all the better for Grimmjow and the rest of the oni.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He can practically feel the power that surges through him, and his reiatsu is much stronger than it’s ever been. Behind him, his huge blue hands hover menacingly as he approaches the clan leaders, keeping his eyes on Abarai Renji alone.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, I like that look in your eyes.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Grimmjow thinks, noticing the way Abarai regards him with anticipation. </span>
  <em>
    <span>That’s a nice look, Abarai Renji.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“It seems like they’ve already strengthened the barriers around the Hogyoku-ji,” Shawlong observes. “It’ll be impossible for us to break in.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That doesn’t matter much right now,” Grimmjow says flippantly. “So long as I can fight Abarai Renji again, none of that matters.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He turns his attention back to Abarai, only for his line of vision to be blocked by the Bakeneko and Raiju Leaders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? No acknowledgement of us?” the Bakeneko asks, raising an eyebrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimmjow narrows his eyes. “Get outta the way,” he growls. “I don’t care about none of you. The only one I’m gonna fight tonight is Abarai Renji, Leader of the Okami Tribe.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At that, Abarai’s eyes now hold a wild glint to them as a wolfish grin crosses his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that so?” he asks, sounding eager.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re damn right,” Grimmjow says, returning the grin. “You’d better give me a good fight now, Abarai.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry about it. I’ll give you the best fucking fight you’ll ever have, Grimmjow,” Abarai promises him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Strangely enough, though, his eyes look a little bit warmer as he says that. Something about it confuses Grimmjow for a moment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Why the fuck is Abarai trying to sound friendly right now? Or is that how he always sounds to everyone? Whatever it is, he’s not too sure how to feel about it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimmjow just shakes his head slightly, then glances scornfully at the rest of the clan leaders. “If you all wanna fight, then you’re all free to fight my warriors,” he tells them. “But you all should be praying that you survive this fight, ‘cause I ain’t gonna show no mercy to any of you!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If he can defeat these clan leaders, maybe he can somehow destroy the barrier around the shrine and take the Hogyoku for himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that a threat, Grimmjow?” the Tengu Leader asks him, his eyes still covered by that mask.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, it’s more than just a threat, pretty boy!” Grimmjow snarls. “Be prepared to bow down to your new king very soon!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Right then, Kenpachi steps forward with that same eager grin on his face. “I think I’m gonna take on the Tengu Leader,” he decides. “He might be a pretty boy, but he looks strong. Hopefully he’ll give me a good fight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While he can’t see the eyes of the Tengu Leader, he can tell that he’s not too thrilled about fighting Kenpachi. Nevertheless, he concedes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Very well, then,” the Tengu Leader agrees disdainfully. “Be prepared to be outclassed by me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe I’ll take on the Raiju Leader,” Ikkaku says, grinning wildly. “He definitely looks like someone who’ll give a good fight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Raiju Leader nods, looking determined as he prepares himself. “Let’s hope you give a good fight too,” he says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Bakeneko Leader is mine!” Yylfordt declares with a smirk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh?” The Bakeneko Leader smiles in a catlike manner. “I hope you’re prepared to take on the Goddess of Flash, Oni-san.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Very well.” Shawlong steps forth towards the Kitsune Leader. “I shall fight the Kitsune, then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yet again, the Kitsune Leader has that weird smile on his face as he nods. “My, my…” he says. “You look like a strong one too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now that everyone has chosen whom to fight, with the rest of the oni deciding to take on the warriors of each clan, Grimmjow advances towards Abarai. Honestly, he doesn’t care who his soldiers choose to fight. So long as nobody gets in the way of his fight with Abarai, it doesn’t matter to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abarai charges towards him with determination, shadows curling around his hands and forming into two huge clawed hands, and Grimmjow grins as he breaks into a charging run towards him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bring it, Abarai Renji!” he shouts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Immediately, Abarai swipes down one of the huge shadow hands at Grimmjow, who manages to jump back and avoid the attack.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In response, Grimmjow controls one of his huge hands to charge at Abarai, smirking slightly as the Okami Leader blocks it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While he might have been able to create large hands to fight against him, his drawback is that they’re still tied to him by way of being made of shadows. Grimmjow, on the other hand, can freely control the huge clawed hands he has without worrying about them being attached to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As if to prove this to Abarai, Grimmjow swipes both his hands downwards, making the huge hands slash apart those shadow hands almost instantly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abarai, however, remains unfazed at this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead, he raises his hands up in the air to create a ball of shadows, then forcefully slams it down onto the ground, releasing several huge waves of shadows in every direction at once.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The shadow waves travel fast, and despite Grimmjow’s efforts to avoid them, he ends up getting struck by one of them and is thrown back several feet from the sheer force.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck! </span>
  </em>
  <span>He thinks as he crashes back into a tree. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Dammit… Abarai’s attacks are stronger than last time.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Wiping his chin, Grimmjow climbs back onto his feet with a smirk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not bad,” he praises. “You’re even better than last time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abarai returns the smirk. “I could say the same for you,” he agrees. “But I ain’t nowhere near finished yet!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now that’s what I like to hear!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that, they both charge at one another.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrenaline surges through Grimmjow’s veins as he and Abarai clash once more, and he can’t help but observe Abarai’s style of fighting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Compared to Grimmjow’s style, which mostly consists of melee combat, Abarai manages to balance out both magic and melee combat in his style of fighting, making for a pretty interesting fight. It also helps that he’s pretty clever in his attacks as well, and knows just when and how to attack. All of this only proves that Abarai is both brains and strength in one.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not that it’s a bad thing, of course. After all, Grimmjow hasn’t enjoyed himself this much in a fight until now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abarai is much quicker in his attacks and reaction time, and is successful in being quick enough to avoid the huge clawed hands that try to knock him back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But at some point, he pauses in his attacks and regards Grimmjow curiously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimmjow narrows his eyes. “What the hell are you doing?” he demands. “Why aren’t you attacking?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m curious about something,” Abarai admits, wiping his brow as he continues looking at him with those curious eyes. “Why were you so angry when I brought up the name of your ancestor last time?”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>What?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Grimmjow blinks, confused for a moment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abarai’s voice… it’s not sarcastic or mocking, he actually sounds… polite.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Why the fuck is Abarai trying to be polite during a fight?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimmjow doesn’t know why, but something about that politeness… it really pisses him off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Is he trying to pity him? Is Abarai Renji daring to show him, the Leader of the Oni Tribe, </span>
  <em>
    <span>pity?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“How dare you…” Grimmjow snarls. “How fucking dare you!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abarai immediately gets into a defensive stance as Grimmjow charges towards him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You dare show pity towards me?!” he demands, preparing his huge hands for another attack. “I don’t need nobody’s pity, you hear me?! You pity me again, I’ll tear you apart with my bare hands!”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>How dare he. How dare he pity me.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Grimmjow brings down his claws, but Abarai swiftly leaps out of the way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even so, Grimmjow is too angry to think clearly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>How dare Abarai take pity on him? Does he actually believe that he’s worthless like his father?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m better than the old man will ever hope to be…” Grimmjow growls, lunging at Abarai again. “Just you watch! I’ll become the King of Spirit Society, and there’s nothing that son of a bitch can do about it!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yet as he rants, Grimmjow notices Abarai looking at him with that strange look in his eyes like last time. And something about that look makes him falter once more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s shock in Abarai’s eyes, but at the same time, they seem much… softer. It’s as if he’s trying to understand him.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>What the hell?!</span>
  </em>
  <span> Grimmjow thinks, bewildered and angry all over again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Why the fuck is Abarai looking at him like that? Why does it look like he’s pitying him? Either way, Grimmjow really doesn’t know how to feel about it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shakes his head before preparing for another attack. He won’t let himself lose, and he’s definitely not going to let Abarai pity him right now.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Try and pity me again, you bastard… </span>
  </em>
  <span>Grimmjow thinks darkly. </span>
  <em>
    <span>It’ll be the last thing you’ll ever do.</span>
  </em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Byakuya aims his shakujo staff at his opponent, Kenpachi the oni warrior, and casts a spell of icy-cold wind in his direction. However, the burst of cold does nothing to affect him, and he only laughs like a maniac once more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You really think that’s gonna hurt me, tengu?!” Kenpachi laughs, grinning wildly. “It’ll take a lot more than that if you wanna hurt me!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Honestly, he still can’t really believe he’s having to fight such a barbaric opponent. Kenpachi’s style of fighting is wild even by the standards of the Oni Tribe, but perhaps he shouldn’t be too surprised.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that, Byakuya continues to cast spells with his ice magic, all while remaining unaffected by Kenpachi’s taunts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on and fight like a real warrior, Kuchiki Byakuya!” Kenpachi goads him on. “Don’t tell me you’re just gonna stand there and throw magic spells at me!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You should be grateful to be witnessing my ice magic,” Byakuya tells him icily. “It’s far too sophisticated for a barbarian such as yourself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Again, Kenpachi just laughs. “Well, who cares about any of that?” he says. “I’m just glad I finally get to fight the strongest and most uptight clan leader in existence!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya narrows his eyes, then raises his shakujo staff slightly. “Be gone,” he intones coldly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blocks of ice burst up from the ground in Kenpachi’s direction, but he swiftly claws them down with a savage grin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe you should take off that mask if you wanna actually get a hit on me!” Kenpachi taunts him. “Don’t you think so, pretty boy?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How foolish,” Byakuya quips back, flapping his wings to blow an ice-cold wind in his opponent’s direction.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite the cold air cutting into Kenpachi’s skin, however, he seems to relish in the pain, too caught up in the thrill of the fight to even be affected by the damage that Byakuya is dealing upon him.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>What a complete barbarian… </span>
  </em>
  <span>Byakuya thinks, too appalled at how uncouth this oni warrior is as he casts more ice spells.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Honestly, he has never met an opponent who is proud to be so wild and uncouth in his style of fighting. Kenpachi has no clear strategy, no clever tricks, nothing of the sort. He just charges and attacks without thinking, all for the sake of the pleasure that fighting gives him. There’s no grace, no refinement in any of Kenpachi’s attacks; nothing but sheer, brute force.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Byakuya has to admit that Kenpachi’s determination (more like stubbornness) is rather admirable for the most part. And he certainly is strong, if his attacks and reiatsu are anything to go by.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If he’d just learn how to fight with a bit more finesse, however, then it would be a joy to fight him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Though Byakuya is a little curious about Kenpachi’s possible motives for joining the invasion for Ashihara. Is he somehow interested in avenging Shuten Douji like the leader? From the looks of it, however, Kenpachi couldn’t give any more of a damn about vengeance; he’s just here for a good fight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya holds his hand out and casts a spiral of ice in Kenpachi’s direction, one that he takes without even flinching.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why are you doing this?” he asks. “Why are you and the Oni Tribe invading Ashihara tonight?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Does it matter?” Kenpachi retorts. “I’m only here for a good fight, and I could care less about avenging Shuten Douji!”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Of course you are… </span>
  </em>
  <span>Byakuya thinks sardonically.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But isn’t that your leader’s motivation?” he asks again, flapping his wings to fire small ice spikes in Kenpachi’s direction. “I thought one of his motives was to avenge his ancestor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do I look like I care about that?” Kenpachi demands, haphazardly leaping out of the way of most of the spikes. “Grimmjow’s gone back and forth on it so many times that I don’t even care at this point!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now this catches Byakuya off guard for a moment. The Leader of the Oni Tribe is undecided on his motivation?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then again, he shouldn’t be too surprised. Renji had told him about how much anger and hatred Grimmjow appeared to harbour against his ancestor, how he hated even the mere mention of Shuten Douji’s name.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But then why did Grimmjow bother going through with the plans for invasion if he can’t decide on whether or not he should avenge his ancestor?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hopefully Renji will be able to figure that out in his fight against the Oni Leader.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Byakuya continues his fight against Kenpachi, he takes a quick glance at Renji, Shiba, Shihouin, and Ichimaru to see how well they’re holding up against their opponents. Sure enough, everyone else seems to be doing fine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In fact, even the warriors are managing well against the rest of the oni.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It doesn’t change the fact that the oni are still relentless despite everyone’s efforts, though.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But as everyone slowly starts to finish up their fights, that’s when Byakuya decides he must finish his own fight as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This fight ends here, Kenpachi,” he says coldly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh?” Kenpachi raises an eyebrow. “Impatient, aren’t we?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve had enough of fighting you,” Byakuya simply says. “I’ll end this fight before you can even blink.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that declaration, he flourishes his staff downwards, making the metal rings clink against one another.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Almost immediately, the cold air starts to gather in certain places all around Kenpachi, materializing into ice and slowly crystallizing into the form of tree branches. As sakura blossom buds also start to form on the branches, ice slowly starts to creep up on a stunned Kenpachi as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the hell is this?” Kenpachi demands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Frozen Sakura,” Byakuya explains. “What I’m showing you is a less lethal version of this technique.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now, it’s time to use his ultimate technique: Midnight Blue Demon Blizzard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Flourishing his staff once more, Byakuya conjures up freezing cold winds. “Our pride will never be damaged by the likes of you,” he declares. “Feel for yourself, the difference between you and I.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that, he flaps his wings once, sending the ice-cold winds blowing in Kenpachi’s direction.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The cold winds hit Kenpachi hard, cutting into his skin mercilessly. Blood sprays out from each cut, and Kenpachi coughs up some blood as he collapses to the ground.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“N-Not bad…” he mutters. “You’re… You’re not so bad… pretty boy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fortunately for him, the wounds aren’t too lethal. After all, Byakuya had no intention of killing him like that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By now, nearly all the others have finished their fights, defeating their oni opponents with ease. However, only one remains preoccupied with his fight, which seems to be getting more intense by the minute.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where’s Abarai?” Shiba asks, looking around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Isn’t it obvious?” Kenpachi quips, raising an eyebrow. “He and Grimmjow-sama are still fighting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And sure enough, they still are. Right before the forest of Junrinan, both Renji and Grimmjow are engaged in a fight unlike anyone has ever seen before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya silently watches, amazed at the level of skill that Renji displays against Grimmjow, and praying for him all at the same time.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t you lose this fight, Abarai Renji.</span>
  </em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Renji leaps out of the way of Grimmjow’s two huge hands, narrowly avoiding those huge claws that threaten to cut him down. Ignoring his hair in his face (it had come out of its ponytail a while ago now, he quickly gets back up onto his feet, then shoots a blast of shadows at Grimmjow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The shadows hit Grimmjow right in the gut, and send him crashing into a tree. Yet despite that, the Oni Leader gets back up as if it’s nothing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that all you got, Abarai Renji?!” he shouts mockingly. “Don’t tell me you’re all out of ideas!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As if!” Renji snaps.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Leaping up, he then shoots some spheres of shadows that break up into smaller projectile shadows, all of them speeding towards Grimmjow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Each shadow projectile creates a small explosion upon impact, and despite his best efforts to avoid them, Grimmjow is unable to dodge all of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The explosions knock him back several feet, and as Renji straightens himself up on the ground, he lets himself feel Grimmjow’s reiatsu. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s amazing how powerful his reiatsu is, and how he can feel every emotion within it. Anger, bloodlust, determination, and…</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Pain.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>At that, Renji recalls what happened earlier, when Grimmjow had lashed out at him for his apparent pity and started ranting about taking over Spirit Society and becoming the king. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even more… he’d mentioned something about his old man.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Things are starting to make a little more sense right now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Had Grimmjow been abused as a kid? Did his father impose the goal of avenging Shuten Douji upon him?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That’s the only other answer Renji can think of.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No wonder Grimmjow is filled with so much hatred and pain. No wonder his reiatsu feels so broken. The guy must have been repressing so much anger within if his attacks are filled with this much rage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite himself, Renji feels even worse for Grimmjow.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Whatever his father did to him… clearly he’s more hurt than he lets on.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>And it’s obvious that Grimmjow is conflicted over actually doing the invasion on Ashihara right now. His reiatsu is fluctuating noticeably, going between anger and conviction, and then to hesitance and pain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No wonder he’d been so angry when Renji had mentioned Shuten Douji’s name. Clearly he doesn’t think very highly of his ancestor, and the burden of avenging him seems to have gotten to him a bit too much.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Renji shoots another blast of shadows at Grimmjow, he realizes that he cannot bring himself to kill him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Besides, how can he kill someone who’s clearly hurting inside, someone whose past still haunts him?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No. He won’t kill him.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Maybe if I give him my hand… he might accept.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Renji decides.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Is it crazy? Maybe so. But then again, there has to be some hope for Grimmjow to understand that he no longer has to put up with the burden of his past.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that in mind, Renji holds his ground, keeping his gaze upon the Oni Leader who charges towards him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s it?!” Grimmjow snarls. “You’re just gonna let me kill you?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji doesn’t falter. Instead, he closes his eyes, tilts his head back a little, and begins to howl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Almost immediately, he hears Komamura and the rest of the okami join in on the howling, their voices blending into an eerie and mournful harmony that’s almost mesmerizing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And right then, a large pack of shadowy wolves emerges from the shadows all around them, their eyes glowing red as they snarl and growl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Renji stops howling and opens his eyes, he keeps his gaze level on Grimmjow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This ends here, Grimmjow,” he says firmly. “It’s time to finish it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gladly!” Grimmjow agrees, preparing himself to attack. “I’ll tear that pack of yours to shreds before you can even blink!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji doesn’t respond. Instead, he silently points to Grimmjow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Immediately, the shadow wolves charge towards him with vicious growls.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimmjow tries his best to attack, but the wolves are too fast for him. They encircle him, running past him in sharp blurs that confuse him, and even conceal Renji’s reiatsu, giving him the perfect opportunity now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With Grimmjow’s guard down, Renji uses this chance to subdue him for good.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So he runs through the charging pack towards the Oni Leader.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s over, Grimmjow!” he shouts, creating two huge hands around his own from shadows.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By the time Grimmjow senses Renji’s reiatsu, it’s much too late. Before he can even defend himself, Renji leaps towards those huge blue hands, and claws them ferociously with the huge shadow hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Identical lacerations tear upon Grimmjow’s body, blood spraying from them as his eyes widen in complete shock. And slowly, he collapses to the ground, his hands also falling beside him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No… way…” he chokes out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A cheer interrupts Renji’s thoughts, and he looks over to see the okami warriors looking thrilled and triumphant.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s not yet over, though. It won’t be over until Renji gets some actual answers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He approaches Grimmjow, his gaze softening as he takes in the extent of his injuries. He’d made sure not to injure him too severely, but even so, he can’t help but worry a little.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Upon noticing his approach, Grimmjow’s eyes narrow as he looks up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well? Aren’t you gonna kill me?” he demands bitterly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji shakes his head, his heart hurting a bit. “No, not at all,” he says sincerely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimmjow remains silent, but looks up at him in surprise. “The fuck do you mean by that?” he asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want to kill you,” Renji tells him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He can feel the surprised gazes from the rest of the clan leaders, but he doesn’t falter whatsoever. “I just want to know something, Grimmjow,” he continues. “Why did you want to invade Ashihara so badly?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Looking a bit more ashamed now, Grimmjow answers him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My father,” he practically spits out. “He’s the one who beat it into me. He kept on telling me that it’s my responsibility to avenge Shuten Douji’s death from the ancient period on Hyakki Yagyo.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought so…” Renji says quietly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimmjow looks a little wary and confused, but he continues speaking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like I said before, he’d beaten it into me right from the time I could walk,” he says. “If I didn’t carry out the invasion, I’d be proving him right: that I’m a weak-willed, worthless coward who didn’t deserve to be the Leader of the Oni Tribe.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Again, Renji can’t help but feel awful for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Is it really any wonder that Grimmjow is like this? To be beaten and trained solely for avenging an ancestor that died during the ancient period?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And no one even cared about you?” Renji asks him softly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not even my own mother,” Grimmjow confirms resentfully. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Wow… he doesn’t even know the love of his own parents… is it really any wonder he’s so broken?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>But no more. From now on, Renji won’t let Grimmjow be hurt or broken anymore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’ll help him break that cycle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, that won’t happen anymore,” he tells him firmly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimmjow looks up in surprise. “What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re not going to be alone anymore,” Renji promises him, giving him a gentle smile. “I’ll help you out, Grimmjow.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>God, the look in Grimmjow’s eyes now… it’s almost heartbreaking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His blue eyes aren’t as wild or frenzied now… they look confused, unsure, and yet beneath all the doubt, there’s a faint glimmer of hope.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s almost as if he’s looking at a lonely teenage youkai right now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Abarai! Are you serious?” Shiba sounds completely stunned at what he’s witnessing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course,” Renji says, keeping his eyes on Grimmjow. “After all, he’s no different from any other youkai. We’ll help him break the cycle of brutality that’s been forced upon him, no matter what it takes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that, he holds his hand out to Grimmjow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Again, Grimmjow looks completely shocked, as if he can’t believe this is happening right now. For a moment, he studies Renji’s face as if trying to find any lies in his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But finally, he tentatively reaches out and takes Renji’s hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji smiles warmly as he helps Grimmjow up onto his feet. “It’ll take some time,” he says. “But we’ll take things slowly, alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimmjow just nods, and at last, a smile slowly crosses his face. It’s not the usual wild and savage grin he has, but it’s quite a nice one. This smile… it seems genuinely happy and relieved.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And Renji can’t stop smiling at him, and he feels a lot lighter right now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Perhaps there’s hope to help Grimmjow, after all.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hate to say it, but the next chapter will be the last one. I really don't want to finish this story, but alas, the story is slowly coming to an end in my mind. I wish I could stay in the world of Spirit Society a little longer; it's such an amazing world that I've truly enjoyed writing about!</p><p>As a note, "Midnight Blue Demon Blizzard" is the name of Spirit Society Byakuya's special technique in Bleach Brave Souls.</p><p>Please let me know how I did, and have a good one!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. New Beginnings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Grimmjow allows himself to enjoy the festivities of Hyakki Yagyo in an effort to accept his new friendship with Abarai Renji. And in this moment, it's clear that things are about to become very different in Ashihara.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Here it is, the last chapter. It's been a real pleasure to be able to write this story, and I've truly enjoyed immersing myself into the world of Spirit Society while expanding on what had been presented in Bleach Brave Souls. I do feel a little sad about ending this story, but alas, all stories must come to an end soon.</p><p>I hope you all enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>This is perhaps the most surreal, most bizarre thing Grimmjow has ever done in his entire life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The wounds on his body have been healed well, and he can hardly feel any pain in his body. But right now, instead of ruminating in the dark cave or eating meat by a bonfire… he’s heading to the bay of Ashihara, walking next to Abarai Renji and engaging in the festivities of Hyakki Yagyo.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In fact, Abarai had even encouraged the rest of the Oni Tribe to take part in the festivities. This is perhaps the first time in centuries that they’ve been invited to take part in these festivities, and none of the oni are even causing trouble for anyone else.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimmjow looks down at the plate that Abarai had bought for him. Upon the plate are six battered balls, all of them covered with some kind of sauce and sprinkled with additional toppings. Stuck in one of them is a pick to eat it with.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s never had anything like this before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Curious, he picks up one of the snacks and pops it into his mouth. Almost immediately, his mouth is overwhelmed with a delicious flavour.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Holy shit… this is so good… </span>
  </em>
  <span>Grimmjow thinks, chewing it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How are you liking the takoyaki?” Abarai asks, raising an eyebrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimmjow swallows before answering. “It’s… pretty good,” he admits. “What’s in it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Diced octopus, green onion, tenkasu scraps, and some pickled ginger. And sprinkled on top of it are aonori and dried bonito.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Apparently, one of the festivities that’s about to happen out at the bay is a special dance that’s being performed by a yosei. Grimmjow knows just what the yosei are and how their dances are supposed to be beautiful to watch, but this will be his first time actually watching one of their dances.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Also accompanying them to the bay are Kenpachi and Ikkaku, and Komamura Sajin, Renji’s second-in-command. Right now, Yylfordt and Shawlong have gone off to play some kind of game involving fish.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they arrive at the bay, a young kodama man with spiky orange hair waves them over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re right on time!” he says. “I’ve saved some spots for you. Inoue’s gonna start her dance soon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then, he notices Grimmjow and does a double-take.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whoa, aren’t you-?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abarai smiles. “Grimmjow, this is Kurosaki Ichigo. He’s a friend of Inoue Orihime, the yosei who’s going to dance,” he introduces. “Kurosaki, this is Grimmjow.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimmjow just raises an eyebrow, feeling a little amused at this guy’s name.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Strawberry, huh?” he jokes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kurosaki blushes indignantly. “That’s not what it means!” he protests.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right… it’s nice to meet ya,” Grimmjow says, smiling what he hopes is a friendly smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s been rather strange so far. While a lot of youkai have been visibly intimidated by the presence of himself and the rest of the Oni Tribe, none of them have responded harshly or cruelly to them. In fact, everyone’s been tentatively welcoming them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Looks like Inoue is about to start,” Komamura observes, prompting everyone to turn out to the water’s surface.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Graceful and elegant music starts to play in the distance, and out on the water’s surface, a gently-glowing figure hovers above. The yosei woman’s sparkling wings flutter as she carries herself to a visible distance, and her long hair blows in the night breeze right as she starts her dance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s truly one of the most fascinating things that Grimmjow has ever seen in his life. The way Inoue makes sparkles drift through the air with every flutter of her wings, the way she glides just above the water, and the way her movements are filled with such exquisite grace and beauty… he’s never seen anything like this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No wonder she’s the best odoriko in Ashihara…” Abarai murmurs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not just in Ashihara,” Kurosaki corrects him, a blush on his cheeks. “She’s the best in all of Spirit Society.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, as the dance goes on, Grimmjow can’t help but find it so strange that he’s experiencing a festival with the youkai of Ashihara like it’s nothing. Even more, he still can’t really believe that Abarai has willingly shown him kindness and compassion after defeating him earlier.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Why would the Okami Leader be willing to be this nice and friendly towards him? After all, the Oni Tribe hasn’t really been on good terms with any other youkai clan or tribe since the ancient period, so it’s really all the more surprising for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oi, Abarai,” he says quietly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hm?” Abarai glances at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimmjow then turns to look at him. “Why are you doing this?” he asks. “Why are you being so… nice? I mean, we were trying to kill each other a while ago, and you’re just being nice like it’s nothing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now, Abarai turns to face him. “I could feel it in your reiatsu,” he says gently. “You were hurting over something major, and I could tell that you didn’t want to carry out the invasion.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At that, Grimmjow can’t help but stare at Abarai in surprise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>How the fuck had he been able to sense all of that?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But what makes you think I’m worth being redeemed?” he asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your integrity,” Abarai tells him. “You’re truly an honourable man, Grimmjow. I can see that you care for the oni, much like how other youkai clan leaders care for members of their own, and you value them all equally. Just because you’re an oni doesn’t mean you have to be trapped in the shadow of Shuten Douji, you know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimmjow looks down. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’ve never thought of it like that… </span>
  </em>
  <span>He muses to himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Really, though, Abarai seems to be putting so much faith into some sort of good heart he believes to exist within him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And perhaps that good heart does exist within him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For the first time in a long while, Grimmjow allows himself to feel… hope.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I also harboured a grudge against Ashihara, I’ll admit,” Abarai continues. “However, I’ve managed to let go of it because the clan leaders were willing to work hard in regaining not just my trust, but that of the Okami Tribe as well. I’m also willing to show you that we can be trusted, if it means you and the Oni Tribe can be reintegrated into Ashihara again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Again, Grimmjow isn’t too sure how to feel about it, but he has to admit, he feels good, knowing that someone is earnestly trusting him like this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If only he’d met Abarai Renji sooner in his life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t really believe I didn’t meet you earlier,” Grimmjow admits, his voice surprisingly wistful. “Who knows how I would’ve turned out if I’d met you before all this happened.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Could he have turned out better than he is right now?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abarai just frowns thoughtfully. “I don’t think I can give a good answer for that,” he admits, giving him a kind smile. “But it’s not too late to change things for the better. And I’m more than happy to be your first friend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That doesn’t sound so bad,” Grimmjow agrees.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Is he really befriending the Okami Leader right now? It’s almost hard for him to believe he’s actually doing this, but he won’t lie; he really likes this strange but pleasant warmth that’s spreading through him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If his parents were alive right now and they saw this, they’d definitely be pissed off with him for showing emotion. But what does he care about them anyways? They can fuck off for all he cares now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My folks would be rolling around in their graves if they saw this happening,” Grimmjow says, laughing dryly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abarai also laughs. “Well, they can roll around in their graves for all eternity,” he says. “You’ve chosen to break the cycle of brutality, and there’s nothing they can do about it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Somehow, knowing that his parents no longer have a hold on him anymore, not even in death, it makes Grimmjow much happier than he’s ever been in his life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Every now and then, while watching the fairy dance of Inoue Orihime, Grimmjow looks around to see several oni hanging out with other youkai and engaging in various kinds of festivities. Some have gone to play games, others have gone to some communal dance in the streets, and there are some watching Inoue’s dance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even better, the other youkai are slowly starting to become more welcoming towards them all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he continues watching the fairy dance, Grimmjow starts to feel that warmth slowly spreading within him. Despite how alien it feels, he honestly enjoys how pleasant and comforting it is.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s truly strange to think that Grimmjow is starting to make amends with all of Ashihara through becoming friends with the Okami Leader. However, for the first time in a very long while, he’s slowly starting to feel much more at peace than he’s ever felt before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Of course, it’ll take some time before the damage to his heart and soul is fully healed. But for now, he’s ready to build on his new friendship with Abarai and see where it goes from here.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>It’s been a rather strange Hyakki Yagyo this year, no thanks to the prominent presence of the Oni Tribe in Ashihara. Even more, rather than causing widespread destruction or chaos, the oni are partaking in the festivities and interacting peacefully with other youkai.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya takes a break from observing the night parade to see Renji and several other youkai watching Inoue Orihime’s yosei dance out in the bay. But what really catches his eye is that Renji is chatting with Grimmjow as though they’re good friends. And despite Grimmjow’s slight awkwardness, he’s willingly accepting Renji’s efforts at polite conversation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who would’ve thought this conflict would’ve ended because the Oni and Okami Leaders became friends?” Rukia says, sounding a little bit amused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re telling me!” Shiba agrees, still rather disbelieving over what has happened. “I never saw it coming either!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It just goes to show that the Okami Leader has one big heart, I suppose,” Matsumoto says with a shrug and a smile. “Honestly, I’m a little impressed that Abarai Renji managed to pull off something like that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But how was he able to do something like befriending the Oni Leader?” Kira wonders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ichimaru shrugs. “Honestly, it beats me,” he admits.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He then glances at Byakuya. “What do you think of this whole development, Kuchiki?” he asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya keeps his voice even as he answers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m glad that Renji was able to resolve things without resorting to unnecessary violence,” he simply says. “While it is a little baffling that he’s managed to get on good terms with the Oni Tribe, their reintegration is encouraged if they’re willing to put in the effort.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rukia nods sagely. “That’s a good point, Nii-sama,” she says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then, the smallest of smiles tugs at the corners of Byakuya’s lips. “It also amazes me truly that Renji is able to encourage Grimmjow to open up to others.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Honestly, he certainly hadn’t expected Renji’s suspicions of the Oni Leader’s motives to be proven right, that Grimmjow was only carrying out the invasion to spite his abusive father. But then again, it does give an answer to why he’d been furious over the mere mention of Shuten Douji’s name.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a while, Byakuya decides to go to the bay and watch the yosei dance at a closer distance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he draws nearer to the bay, however, he notices Renji and Grimmjow laughing over something or the other. Even more, Grimmjow’s laugh doesn’t look like the manic laughter from the fights; it looks more genuine, actually.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seeing this has Byakuya recalling that moment after the fight between those two, when Renji had approached Grimmjow with kindness and understanding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had been almost bizarre to witness, to be honest. To watch Renji being gentle as he’d asked Grimmjow about what happened to him in the past, and to see Grimmjow himself open up to Renji… well, no one had expected it to even happen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yet at the same time, Byakuya had been touched at how Renji had made an effort to be compassionate and willing to listen to him. It must’ve truly resonated within Grimmjow if he’d been able to open up so easily like he did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then again, Renji just has a huge capacity for empathy, and a big heart that makes him so willing to reach out to anyone who is tormented by their past. And it’s all part of the many reasons as to why Byakuya has fallen so deeply in love with him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By the time he gets to the bay, Inoue has just finished her dance, earning cheers and applause from all the onlookers. Amidst the applause, Byakuya makes his way over to Renji and Grimmjow, hoping to spend some time with his lover.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Looks like you two are enjoying yourselves,” Byakuya observes, getting their attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji turns to look at him with a smile. “Yeah, you could say we are,” he says. “I was just showing Grimmjow what takoyaki is, and I got him to enjoy Inoue’s dance, so it’s all good, I guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And how did he find it?” Byakuya asks, glancing at the Oni Leader.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimmjow shrugs. “It was pretty cool,” he admits. “Haven’t seen anything like it in my life, honestly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wish to spend some time with Renji right now, if you do not mind,” Byakuya tells him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimmjow just raises an eyebrow, but it only takes a few seconds before comprehension fully sets in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He then turns to Renji with a mischievous smile. “Right,” he says. “I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Much to Byakuya’s amusement, Renji blushes deeply at that remark, but is unable to respond as Grimmjow takes his leave.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shall we walk together?” Byakuya offers him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure,” Renji says, starting to walk alongside him. “Where are we going?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A lion dance is going to take place near the shrine complex,” Byakuya explains. “I thought you would be interested in watching it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji shrugs. “Why not?” he concedes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a faint smile, Byakuya leads Renji down the well-lit streets to the area where the lion dance will take place.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they near, they see two musicians starting a festive melody on the flute and drums, right as the lion itself makes its appearance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a red wooden, lacquered head, a white mane, and a body made of green dyed cloth and white patterns upon it, the lion’s expression looks fierce and ready to ward off evil spirits. Beneath the green cloth, three people control the lion to dance to the music, making the jaws snap, the mane flick, and acting playful to make the spectators laugh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While Byakuya knows he should be watching the lion snap its jaws and playfully bite the spectators to bring good luck, he can’t help but keep his eyes on Renji right now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji looks absolutely fascinated by the lion dance, his eyes practically shining in the glow of the lanterns that light up the streets. His ears twitch a little as he curiously tilts his head in a manner that’s much too innocent and sweet for him, and Byakuya’s heart flutters slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He really is too adorable… </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you like it?” he asks softly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Renji says, his voice filled with amazement. “I don’t remember seeing lion dances before, honestly. But this is so cool.” He glances warmly at Byakuya. “Thanks for showing me this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya looks down, his cheeks getting warmer. “You’re… You’re very welcome.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After some time, the lion dance comes to an end, earning more applause and cheers, and then both Byakuya and Renji depart from the area to observe some more of the festivities.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To be honest, this is perhaps the very first time in a long while that Byakuya has actually engaged in the festivities of Hyakki Yagyo. When Hisana had been alive, he’d often observed some of the festivities with her, but after her death, he’d stopped engaging in them. The most he would do was take part in the ceremony at the Hogyoku-ji shrine, then return to the manor to be alone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hadn’t really seen the point in trying to take part in festivities when he was too busy mourning for Hisana, after all. And in spite of Rukia’s efforts to get him to engage, he couldn’t bring himself to do anything of the sort.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yet right now, it feels so right to partake in the festivities of Hyakki Yagyo, now that he has Renji by his side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Honestly, he’d never imagined that life in Ashihara would change so much on this year’s Hyakki Yagyo. And most of it has come because of this wonderful, passionate Okami Leader who managed to end conflict through an open heart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By now, they’ve both entered a quieter, more empty street that’s not as well-lit. Apart from a few stray lanterns, the only other source of light is from the stars in the moonless sky.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You never fail to amaze me, Renji,” Byakuya says, looking up at him with a faint smile. “Do you know that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji regards him with a raised eyebrow. “Is that so?” he asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not only do you make peace with the Oni Tribe, not only have you and the rest of the Okami Tribe agreed to return to Ashihara, but you’ve managed to make me enjoy the festivities of Hyakki Yagyo for the first time in a very long time,” Byakuya tells him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hearing that makes Renji blush a little. “I’m… I’m glad to hear that,” he murmurs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya then removes his mask, letting a somewhat surprised Renji see him clearly. “You should be proud of yourself,” he continues. “After all, you’re the one who has managed to put an end to tensions with the Oni Tribe without resorting to senseless bloodshed. Not even myself or the other clan leaders could’ve ever thought of anything like that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He gently takes Renji’s hand. “And it pleases me to see that you and Grimmjow have become friends,” he finishes. “You’re truly an enigma, Renji.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Again, Renji blushes as he shyly rubs the back of his neck with his free hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not really an enigma. I mean, I never saw it coming either,” he admits. “But I could sense that Grimmjow had been suffering for some time now, all because of whatever his father had done to him. Besides, he’s not as brutal or evil as Shuten Douji had been. He’s pretty honourable, and I guess that was enough for me to see that he could be redeemed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya nods slowly. Really, Renji’s capacity for empathy and kindness is truly an admirable quality of his.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do hope Grimmjow and the rest of the Oni Tribe will use this opportunity wisely,” he says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji smiles slightly. “They will, if we all treat them well enough,” he points out. “After all, isn’t that how you and the other ruling clan leaders managed to make amends with myself and the Okami Tribe?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re right,” Byakuya agrees, letting a smile cross his face for real. “Of course, there are other issues at hand, such as territory agreements and all that. But for now, we should just enjoy the festivities.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Definitely.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At this point, they’ve neared the Inuzuri district, which still looks empty and abandoned. However, Renji regards it with a soft smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As soon as the festivities are over, we’re gonna get started on restoring and rebuilding Inuzuri,” he says. “It’ll be even better than it was before.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You look forward to it, don’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now, Renji turns to look at Byakuya, his eyes so gentle and loving as he tenderly caresses his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How is it that you always look so beautiful no matter what time of day it is?” he murmurs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya’s cheeks heat up, and he shyly averts his eyes. “Must you flatter me so?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji chuckles. “You’re so cute when you blush,” he says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that, he gently tilts Byakuya’s face up, right before capturing his lips with his own in the sweetest of kisses.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As his heart flutters against his chest, Byakuya kisses him right back, savouring the warmth and tenderness of his lips. He feels one of Renji’s hands sliding down and brushing his feathers, which sends a pleasant thrill down his spine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Renji pulls away from the kiss, he moves his lips to Byakuya’s forehead to kiss the red markings there. He then kisses the red markings at the corners of Byakuya’s eyes, then kisses his nose, eyelids, and his lips again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Right as Byakuya opens his eyes, he’s pulled in for a warm hug, one that he’s happy to return. And when Renji murmurs words of love into his ear, Byakuya can’t stop himself from smiling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Never before has Byakuya felt so grateful. And really, he’s so grateful to have fallen in love with Abarai Renji, the Okami Leader with one of the biggest hearts to ever exist.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>The weather has become a lot colder now, and it’s only a matter of time before the first snowfall comes by. Which is why it’s important that the Okami Tribe prepare for the upcoming winter months.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji takes a look through the storehouse to check on the inventory. He counts everything: sake bottles, cured and dried meats, firewood, harvested rice, everything that’s been prepared, and nods.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Looks like we have enough supplies to last us for winter,” he says to Komamura, stepping out from the storehouse. “But make sure everyone is careful to conserve their firewood as much as they can.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course,” Komamura says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For a moment, though, Renji stops in his tracks and admires the now rebuilt settlement of Inuzuri.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s truly amazing how much they’ve managed to rebuild and restore. Four months have passed since Hyakki Yagyo ended, and now Inzuri is even better than it had been before. Not only have many of the ruins been repaired and restored, but several new homes and buildings have been constructed as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As always, the homes are in the traditional minka style. Some new establishments have been added as well, such as an izakaya, a sento, a small teahouse for okami dancers, and even a small shrine for the mountain god they worship.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Of course, some of the okami are still trying to adjust to the change in environment from their isolated forest village to being a part of Ashihara once more. But for the most part, life is even better than anyone had expected, and reintegration is going well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s amazing how different this place looks,” Komamura remarks. “By the way, have you heard anything from Grimmjow regarding the invitation to the izakaya tomorrow night?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji nods. “Yeah, he’s willing to come,” he says. “So are the rest of the clan leaders. He says he kinda looks forward to it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In addition to the restored Inuzuri, another major change has taken place.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After several meetings, the Ruling Council has allowed the Oni Tribe to settle wherever they wish, and a good majority of them, Grimmjow included, have opted to settle into the Inuzuri district. Not that Renji minds, of course. In fact, he’d been glad to help the oni in constructing houses and dwellings for them to settle down into.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Several other oni have moved to other districts, but there is still a general sense of unity among them all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is Kuchiki Byakuya still coming by this evening?” Komamura asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, he is,” Renji confirms with a smile. “I hope he likes my home.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure he will,” Komamura reassures him. “After all, it will be a welcome change from that manor of his, I suppose.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji chuckles. “You’re right,” he agrees.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He eventually decides to head back to his own minka house, which is none other than that of his childhood home. He’d managed to restore it back to its former rustic state, and even created a small memorial shrine for his mother, which he maintains religiously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he enters his home, he heads straight for the sunken irori in the center of the main room. It’s getting chillier, and it’ll be nice to get a warm fire going soon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he lights up the firewood in the irori, Renji can’t help but think about everything that’s happened so far.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s now been the leader for seven months in total so far, and so much has happened. They’ve come out of isolation, made peace with the Oni Tribe and are even helping them in reintegrating back into Ashihara, and even more, he’s in a relationship with the Tengu Leader himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By now, more than half of Ashihara knows that Renji and Byakuya are in a relationship. Surprisingly, no one has any objections to it, not that Renji is complaining.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I can’t believe all of this has happened over a few months… </span>
  </em>
  <span>He thinks to himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But at the same time, it’s pretty impressive that he’s managed to accomplish so much already.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A knock on the door gets his attention, and Renji looks up, smiling as he senses a familiar reiatsu.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on in,” he invites.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The door opens and Byakuya steps inside, bowing slightly as he removes his mask.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji smiles. “Welcome, Byakuya,” he greets. “You cold?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Only a little bit,” Byakuya says, slipping his shoes off before stepping into the house proper. “It’s getting chilly, though. I don’t know how you okami can remain shirtless in this kind of weather.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re used to it. Anyways, I got a fire burning in the irori now. So come on and warm yourself up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya seems grateful for the invitation, and he approaches the irori and kneels into perfect seiza right beside Renji.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Here, I’ll warm you up a bit further,” Renji says with a smile, right as he pulls Byakuya in for a hug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sure enough, Byakuya’s feathers feel a little cool, but he gently rubs them to give some warmth, and he feels Byakuya sigh and lean into his hug before returning it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have a lovely home,” Byakuya tells him. “Is this…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My childhood home? It sure is,” Renji responds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya pulls away slightly, looking up at him with pride in his eyes. “The work you’ve done in Inuzuri is truly wonderful,” he praises. “You should be proud of yourself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why, thanks…” Renji just smiles shyly. “I’ve only been a leader for seven months, and I can’t believe I managed to accomplish all of this in that time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Which is why you should feel proud,” Byakuya says gently. “I know I’m proud of you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And somehow, just hearing that is enough to make Renji feel all shy again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m glad you like my home,” he says softly. “Would… Would you like me to show you around?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That doesn’t sound so bad,” Byakuya says with a smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And so Renji willingly shows him around his new home, showing him everything from the irori to his sleeping area and even the shrine he’d put up for his mother.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s quite rustic, but it’s very comforting as well,” Byakuya observes as they stand near the futon. “Which one would you say you prefer: this home, or the one in the forest?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji shrugs. “To be honest, I can’t really say which is better or not,” he admits. “I love both houses all the same. But in terms of actually being able to see you easily… this home is the best.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byakuya chuckles shyly, and Renji smiles before pressing a kiss on his lips, right as a good idea crosses his mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, Byakuya…” he murmurs, lowering his voice to a seductive purr. “There are other ways I can keep you warm, if you want.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sure enough, Byakuya blushes a bit deeply, but he smiles. “But of course,” he agrees, seductively running a hand down Renji’s bare chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With another chuckle, Renji pulls Byakuya in for another kiss, this one much more deep and passionate as his hands slide down to Byakuya’s obi.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Night has fallen now, but they’re both too lost in one another to even notice. Their bare bodies are pressed against each other, their lips locked in a heated kiss as they succumb to passion and lust, holding onto each other as they bring themselves to the edge of exquisite pleasure. And as he finally succumbs to that sweet release, Renji holds onto Byakuya’s hand tightly, all while whispering sweet nothings into his ear. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Later on, after they’ve been cleaned up, Renji pulls the sheets over himself and Byakuya, who has already fallen asleep. The night is quiet, and the only other source of light is the glow of the embers in the irori.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renji just smiles down at Byakuya, admiring his peaceful face before kissing his forehead. “I love you,” he whispers to him as he settles down next to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And as he pulls Byakuya close and lets sleep take hold of him, Renji feels so much lighter than he’s ever felt in a long time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Letting Byakuya in is perhaps the best decision he’s made as a leader so far. And he can’t wait to see what else the future has in store for them all.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And with that, "The Night of One Hundred Demons" is finished. Thank you to everyone for their support, kudos, and comments. They mean so much to me, and I'm glad you've all enjoyed this story just as much as I've enjoyed writing it.</p><p>I look forward to writing more in the future as well! Please let me know how I did, and have a good one!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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